Mobile marketing activity is increasing because more people are spending more time on mobile devices. As a result, advertising spend has increased and will account for over 50% of total spend in 2022.
Also, around 90% of shoppers say that a positive experience on mobile will make them buy again. And this creates exciting opportunities for mobile marketing strategies to focus on.
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So which mobile marketing companies are the best to help with creating the right strategy? Well, improving customer experience (CX) and generating revenue from mobile marketing is complicated. Customers are looking for exciting omnichannel experiences to stay engaged and technology is expanding the realms of what’s possible.
To offer more insights on this, we’ll discuss what mobile marketing is and review the different types. We’ll then offer a list of the best mobile marketing companies to consider aligning with to achieve your goals.
What Is Mobile Marketing and Why Is It Important?
Mobile marketing is a digital marketing strategy that targets customers on their smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices. It’s a multi-channel activity that reaches devices through many touchpoints such as SMS, email and QR codes. But it also includes some aspects of social media marketing and marketing for apps.
By offering a range of communication methods that enhance the customer journey and encourage retention, mobile marketing differs from mobile advertising. Unlike advertising, it’s driven by the customer experience and based on driving omnichannel experiences that meet customers where they are and in ways they want to be met.
So, to build success with mobile marketing, marketers need to develop integrated mobile marketing strategies. And they should consider strategies that target customers offline, online and beyond. With many disparate elements of mobile marketing, though, fragmentation is common. And this is where an omnichannel strategy can help to define the bigger picture and tie those strands together.
Customers expect brands to match the convenience they experience elsewhere, both offline and online. And often, this means offering seamless, personalized experiences wherever audiences go with their phones.
When brands start to leverage benefits from mobile data, like location tracking, they may find it easier to match those expectations and increase customer engagement.
What are the Different Types of Mobile Marketing?
Mobile marketing covers a far wider range of channels than simply mobile app marketing.
So, while aspects like App Store Optimisation are important for app marketing, in this guide we’ll stick to covering everything else that feeds into mobile marketing, beyond just apps.
Mobile-optimized Marketing: Landing pages, voice search, email
Optimizing content for mobile is essential. Whether it’s landing pages or emails, customers expect to have the same positive experiences on their devices as they do on desktop – if not better. Because, when they use their phone and come across a clunky or hard-to-navigate site, they’re likely to drift away and not come back if a page isn’t functional.
There are various approaches to take when optimizing a site:
- Responsive design: Responds to changes in screen size.
- Mobile-first design: Purpose-designed for mobile-first strategies.
- HTML5: Runs on many platforms and devices.
- Adaptive design: Adapts existing desktop websites to mobile devices.
In line with optimizing mobile and landing pages, marketers can also optimize for voice search. Particularly since more than a quarter of the global online population uses voice search, both for Google searches but also when scanning product catalogs on e-commerce sites.
AR Marketing
Augmented reality as part of a consumer experience has taken off, with AR retail expected to reach an estimated value of $18bn by 2023.
Customers are leaning towards retailers who offer exciting and convenient AR experiences. Plus, over 90% of Snapchat users say they’re interested in using AR experiences for shopping on social media channels.
Proximity Marketing: Also known as location or Bluetooth-based
Proximity marketing promotes unique customer experiences that are specific to their location. And it’s transforming in-person events such as concerts, festivals and pop-up sales.
Some ways proximity marketing works include:
- Geotargeting: Advertisers can send data that targets local devices at large events.
- Geofencing: Establishes a perimeter area to send out advertising to mobiles. Often better for smaller-scale events.
- Geoconquesting: Identifies which competitors are in the same area and attract customers away from them.
- Beaconing: Beaconing uses Bluetooth Low Energy technology as an effective way to encourage customers to use mobile tokens. It can’t send data like geotargeting but the advantage is less mobile power.
Featured Mobile Marketing Companies
NFC technology
Near Field Communication is a form of location marketing that uses a specific form of frictionless technology. For example, think of the explosion in contactless payments in-store and on transport.
And since cash accounts for less than 20% of global transactions, mobile payment technology will only grow bigger.
So, with increased convenience when paying for in-store experiences or on transport NFC technology has arguably promoted more mobile-first strategies.
Mobile Wallet Marketing
Mobile wallet marketing focuses on encouraging loyalty and use. And since the value of digital transactions is expected to grow by over 10% in the next 5 years, marketers are using loyalty schemes, content promotions and personalised offers to encourage ongoing use.
Plus, with mobile payment adoption expected to reach close to 5 billion by 2025, it’s a growing trend that’s beginning to phase out other payment forms.
Mobile wallet marketing will also see potential overlap with location-based mobile marketing via NFC and beaconing such as proximity-based incentives that garner loyalty.
QR Codes
In a 2021 survey, almost half of US shoppers used a marketing-related QR code in the past three months. And they expected QR Codes to be a permanent part of their phone use in the future.
Plus, when huge numbers of shoppers are checking their phones for in-store product information, QR codes offer an effective way to create bridge a gap between offline experiences and in-app marketing.
SMS and MMS Marketing
SMS or text messages have very high open rates. And it’s the same for MMS, or multi-media messages, too. So why is that?
Because every network and device accepts SMS messages, they aren’t bounded by the same restrictions on other forms. And this means that the majority of people will be able to receive SMS, but also open it and read it.
Plus, there’s a huge appetite from consumers. More than 75% said they had a more positive view of a business when they received text communications from them.
Email Marketing
Good old email marketing continues to be an integral part of most marketing strategies.
And when around three-quarters of smartphone users check their emails using their device, optimising for email is key. What’s more, high open rates on email make it imperative to include e-mail marketing as part of every mobile marketing strategy.
Types of Mobile Marketing Companies
A great mobile marketing strategy should include a variety of touchpoints along the user lifecycle.
And to aid in developing an effective campaign strategy, many app firms turn to mobile marketing companies for help.
Mobile Marketing Agencies
Agency partners can provide a range of end-to-end services. And they’ll usually take stock of an app’s market position and offer strategies for strategic creation or scale too:
- Audience Segmentation: Agencies can target new users, define their location and determine psychographic signposts like values and behaviours.
- Location-based Offers: A 2020 Global Location Trends report by the LBMA showed over 40% of marketers said they found local SEO beneficial for audience targeting.
- Multi-channel Marketing: Agencies can offer resources and expertise to enhance the end-to-end infrastructure for multi-channel and omnichannel marketing.
- Loyalty Schemes: Mobile marketing agencies can devise appropriate loyalty programmes such as free shipping, early sales access and points-based rewards.
Mobile Marketing Platforms
Leveraging digital marketing services can be simpler through mobile marketing platforms. Plus, most platforms will serve a variety of businesses, including SMBs and larger enterprises.
- Inbound and Outbound E-mail marketing: App owners can use mobile marketing platforms to increase their customer base through email automation and outreach.
- Real-time, API-based SMS campaigns: SMS open rates regularly reach over 90%. And mobile marketing platforms can help in achieving these by scheduling real-time updates and responses.
- Multi-channel content distribution: Acting like a CMS, several platforms enable automated content distribution and customised workflows.
- Predefined content and templates: Many platforms offer predefined templates or customisable content, but also enable content creation.
What Are the Benefits of Working with Mobile Marketing Companies?
Running a successful mobile marketing campaign is no mean feat. And great campaigns rely on strong data, targeted promotions, and taking a holistic approach.
Plus, tapping every touchpoint in the user journey—from acquisition to monetization—requires complex and integrated systems that marketers can rely on.
So, here are some of the advantages of engaging with a mobile marketing company:
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- Increased Customer Engagement: Taking a broader, omnichannel approach to mobile engagement is important when engaged customers can spend 300% more in a year.
- AI-powered Analytics: Many marketing platforms offer AI or predictive technology that helps with understanding how successful a campaign should be.
- Easier Testing: Handing over A/B testing to a marketing company may result in faster gains and better results.
- Higher Conversion Rates: Over 60% of marketers agree that personalization drives higher conversion rates. And mobile marketing companies can aid in providing more personalized mobile experiences.
- A Holistic Approach: Mobile Marketing agencies and platforms can help to see the bigger picture for growth.
Partner with Top Mobile Marketing Companies
So that’s our guide to Mobile Marketing – we hope you took away some valuable insights to support your next campaign.
And of course, you may already be focused on mobile app marketing. But since the focus is shifting to mobile marketing, it’s important to develop customer experiences that excite and engage app users in whichever worlds they use their mobile devices. To help you, take a look through our list of the best mobile marketing companies.