News flash: it’s 2015, and more critical than ever that your business has an effective mobile marketing strategy. Almost half of mobile users are downloading social network apps such as Facebook and Twitter, and a study last year found that U.S. adults spend an average of 34 hours per month accessing the Internet with their mobile device. Those numbers are only going up.
Given these striking statistics, the key is to create a mobile strategy that not only positions you in front of your target market but also gives you a slight edge above your competition while delivering value. Consider the following five tactics as an overview to crafting your unique mobile marketing plan.
1. Create Your Own Mobile App
Think about the current problems your business solves for the marketplace: how can you incorporate those solutions into your mobile app? Even if it’s free, people are only going to download the app if they feel that it can serve them in some way and fulfill a need. Make it useful, unique and intriguing. If you are stuck on where to start, here are afew tips on creating an app that consumers will love.
2. Monetize Your App
Along with your free app, consider adding premium upgraded features, including more content or services for an extra fee. You can give users the option of just sticking to the free version or investing more to gain access to cool add-ons. But again, people will only pay for something if they really feel like it adds value to their lives, so think hard about what you can offer.
3. Have a Mobile-Friendly Website
This is basically a no-brainer at this point. Having an unresponsive or hard-to-navigate mobile site turns off consumers immediately. You can easily use subdomains to set up your site so that it appears differently on a user’s smartphone than it does on their computer. The goal is to customize it in a way that makes it responsive and easy to navigate, and allows for smooth transactions from the placing of the order to the checkout page.
There are many choices when optimizing your site for mobile devices. Prior to delving into this project full-fledged, have total clarity on the options available to you and what’s best for your company.
4. Integrate It with Social Media
This shouldn’t be a big surprise. According to First Data, 81% of smartphone users check social media to read reviews prior to making purchases. Marketers who have combined their mobile marketing with social media sharing and customer reviews are reaping the benefits of this logical match. Amazon and Etsy are prime examples of companies profiting from a user-centric mobile strategy.
5. Don’t Forget About SMS
Having an SMS marketing program where you text your customers about specials, discounts and coupon offers is a huge advantage in mobile marketing. The majority of iPhone and Android users are almost never more than an arm’s length away from their phones, constantly checking for any updates, emails and especially text messages. If you can get buy-in from your customers, texting is a brilliant way to keep them in the know.
These five tactics should provide you with a solid foundation for your mobile marketing efforts. Build on them to create a plan that effectively exposes your business to the massive world of mobile users.
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