POST WRITTEN By Elyse
Flynn Meyer. President and founder
of Prism Global
Marketing Solutions, an award-winning inbound marketing agency and
HubSpot Platinum Agency Partner.
Businesses need to start adapting their
marketing efforts to keep up with the advances in technology. Mobile device
adoption rates are increasing at an incredible rate, surpassing 80% in 2016alone. Even more importantly, average smartphone conversion rates are up 64% compared to the
average desktop conversion rates for e-commerce alone. In today's digital and
interconnected world, the importance of tailoring marketing efforts so
they are mobile-friendly cannot be overstated.
The following are five considerations on the
importance of mobile marketing that marketers need to evaluate as part of
their digital strategy:
1. Time Spent On Mobile
Devices Is Increasing
In 2016, Americans spent an average of 10 hours per day on mobile devices. Nearly a third of
this time was spent on smartphones or tablets, according to eMarketer. This means that the average American spends
over 500 hours per year navigating websites or talking on their mobile device,
providing ample opportunity to capture their attention and get them discussing
your business on a device they use so frequently as part of their daily lives.
Advertising trends are also responding to this development: It is estimated
that by 2019, nearly 72% of marketing dollars will be spent developing apps
and advertisements for mobile platforms.
2. Mobile Commerce And
Mobile Marketing Go Hand-In-Hand
Consumers are using their mobile devices to
purchase items from Amazon, eBay and other e-commerce platforms. Businesses as
large as Walmart and as small as mom and pop shops are recognizing this, and
developing user-friendly portals and websites to facilitate sales. In fact, it
is projected that by the end of 2017, 60% of e-commerce visits will start on a mobile device.
Businesses that develop integrated mobile campaigns that guide
consumers from product introduction to sale will see a
considerable boost in revenue.
3. Shoppers Purchase In
Stores
Mobile technology gives consumers the
opportunity to shop and compare while they walk down the store aisle.
Businesses that have active mobile marketing campaigns can take advantage
of this: Search engine optimization and an easily navigable website can give
your business an edge when the consumer is ready to purchase. Moreover, search
engines are altering their algorithms to give higher preference to mobile-friendly
sites. This creates the need for businesses to improve their web presence and
tie new forms of automated marketing into their operations.
4. Short Message Service
(SMS) Open Rates Are Higher Than Email
SMS has an open rate of 98%,
and up to 90% of people who open the message will read it within three seconds.
This is far higher than email marketing or other digital channels.
Tailoring your SMS messages so they appeal to prospective customers will
give them a reason to further research your products or services, and they will
likely start on the device in which they just received the message.
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5. Mobile Marketing Reaches
A Broader Market
Smartphones and tablets are becoming
increasingly popular tools for communication across all demographics. They are
smaller, lighter, cheaper and more portable than computers and laptops.
Manufacturers are also responding to consumer demand and developing faster,
more powerful and less expensive mobile devices. These developments
mean that marketers have a golden opportunity to put their marketing
messages into the hands of their consumers, and mobile allows marketers and
advertisers to reach a much wider audience by doing so.
Digital marketing is continually evolving, and
mobile marketing plays a key role in that strategy. The shift
toward mobile devices is a trend that will continue to progress, and
businesses need to ensure they have a cohesive mobile marketing
plan to connect with those digital consumers.
