Digital marketing has moved beyond PC screens – companies are now trying to connect to customers via their smartphones. This has led to a whole new array of exciting new marketing strategies. Here are just a few ways to embrace mobile marketing.
Make your website mobile-friendly
Most modern websites are mobile compatible - but that doesn’t mean that they’re necessarily mobile-friendly.
Smartphone screens are a lot smaller than PC screens, and so text needs to be sized differently so that it can read easily. Tapping information with a finger is also a lot less accurate than clicking it with a mouse cursor and so buttons need to be made bigger when viewed on a touchscreen device.
You can make these changes by either designing a website with a flexible layout, creating dynamic pages that work for all devices or you could create an entirely new website that mobile users are redirected to. Each has their pros and cons, which are worth reading into. Don’t be afraid to hire an expert in mobile website design even if you’ve got web programming knowledge, as mobile website design can be a very different world.
Use mobile extensions with Google AdWords
Google AdWords allows you to pay for your website listing to be displayed as an ad on the first page. A great feature of AdWords is the ability to add mobile extensions – these are pieces of information displayed next to your ad that can have extra purposes.
One of these extensions worth using is the call button extension – when mobile users see your site listed on Google there will be a call button beside the ad that allows them to easily to call you up without having click on your site. This can be hugely convenient for people calling you.
Another extension that could be worth using is the app extension. If you have a company app, this extension allows people searching you on Google to download your app with the click of a button.
Build an app
Speaking of apps, it could be worth building your own company app. Apps are a great marketing tool because they provide a constant reminder of your business on people’s phones.
There are all kinds of purposes that you could consider for your app. If you’re a retail company, you could create a digital loyalty card that allows people to scan their phone to collect loyalty points when in your store. If you’re a takeaway restaurant, you could build a menu app that also tracks your delivery via GPS. All in all, you want your app to be useful and not just a gimmick – otherwise people won’t download it.
Creating an app is no easy task and you’ll need to know either Java or Objective-C. There are drag and drop app builders out there for creating something basic, but these can have a template feel. As a result, it could be best to simply hire an app development company.
There are specialist app development companies out there that can develop voice apps and others that may specialise in AR apps. The cost will vary depending on the complexity – some people get away with spending only a couple grand whilst others spend well over one hundred thousand dollars.
Create in-app adverts
Other people’s apps can also be advertising platforms. Mobile game apps are some of the best apps to target as many game developers will encourage players to view apps as a way to build revenue for themselves. The rules to designing such ads are similar to that of internet display ads, however it’s possible to cater them more towards mobile users such as telling people to ‘tap here’ or even creating interactive games that require players to tap as fast as they can. There are in-app advert developers that you can approach to builds these.
Try SMS marketing
SMS marketing is a way of marketing via text. Much like email mailing lists, it’s possible to add existing customers to a list and send them updates via text such as promotions or news. Studies show that people are more likely to read text alerts than email alerts, which can make it well worth trying this strategy. Make sure to never add people to your SMS mailing list without their permission. You should also always supply an opt-out feature on texts so that people can easily unsubscribe if they want to.
Change your email marketing strategy
You may also want to reconsider your email marketing strategy when appealing to mobile users. More people are now checking emails on their phone rather than on a PC. However, these emails often display very differently, showing much less of the email subject. As a result, it can be worth trying to make email subjects shorter or at the very least cramming the most important information into the beginning. For example, rather than using the subject ‘Click Here For The Chance To Win A Free Laptop’ you may want to reword it to ‘Win A Free Laptop By Entering This Competition’.
Use QR codes on physical marketing
It could also be worth printing QR codes onto any physical signage, flyers, business cards and posters. When viewed with a smartphone camera, a QR code automatically opens your website. Whilst you can always just print your web address, this can take a lot more effort than simply supplying a QR code. There are sites online that can allow you to create a QR code for your site for free.
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