Five Things That SBOs Need to Know About Mobile Marketing

revenews.com

When you think about phone marketing, what comes to mind? Maybe you picture uncomfortable hours spent cold-calling potential clients. Or, perhaps, you consider it from a consumer’s perspective and think about annoying telemarketers who blow up your phone. While these would certainly be negative impressions, don’t be fooled into thinking that this is where phone marketing stops.

Thanks to the incredible growth of smartphone ownership across the globe, phone marketing has taken on a completely new meaning. In fact, marketers prefer to call it “mobile marketing.” And, as a small business owner, you can no longer afford to ignore or overlook mobile marketing.

Five Things That You Need to Know

If you’re completely green to the idea of mobile marketing, don’t worry. You aren’t alone. Mobile marketing continues to be one of the most underutilized forms of digital marketing on the planet. However, it’s hard to imagine that it’ll stay that way for much longer. Here are a few things that you need to know:

1. Mobile Ads Growth is Astonishing

Did you know that, by 2020, as much money will be spent on mobile ads as is currently being spent on television advertising? In other words, mobile advertising is about to really take off. The reason for this is that smartphone users are spending more time on their mobile devices and less time watching TV or surfing the web on their desktop computers. That means that now’s the time to begin learning and understanding how mobile advertising works in conjunction with your business.

2. You Need a Stellar Mobile Website

While there is a handful of different ways to target mobile users through marketing, the reality is that one thing stands above the rest in terms of importance: your website. Anything you do – whether it’s SMS marketing, mobile advertising, or in-app calls-to-action – is ultimately designed to drive traffic to your website. Before investing a bunch of time and energy into these different strategies, it’s important that you build a stellar, responsive website that your brand can stand behind.

3. SMS is Powerful

One of the fastest-growing components of mobile marketing is SMS marketing (or text message marketing). Many leading brands – including Redbox and cellular network providers like T-Mobile – are already leveraging SMS and enjoying tremendous success. It’s a flexible, low-cost option for engaging directly with customers in a convenient manner. Consider how it could add value to your brand in the coming months.

4. All or Nothing for Mobile Apps

Many brands have found mobile apps to be successful. However, an even larger faction has spent time and money only to be frustrated by the lack of return. That’s because developing and marketing a mobile app requires a lot of resources. And, as a small business, you have to think about how many customers would actually use your app. If you do choose to develop a mobile app, you may find it effective. Just make sure that you’re prepared to go all-in.

5. Leverage Social Media

If you think about it, social media marketing is essentially a component of mobile marketing. After all, the majority of social networking traffic takes place on smartphones and tablets. As a small business owner, you have to be thinking about how you can leverage social media effectively. In 2016, it’ll be all about visual content. Consider migrating toward platforms like Instagram, Vine, and Snapchat for positive results.

Don’t Discount Mobile Marketing

As we move forward into 2016, mobile marketing will continue to become a more prominent fixture in marketing departments around the globe. As a small business owner, you should consider adding it to your mix too. Mobile marketing is flexible, cost-effective, and high-returning. What more could you want?