Contributed By:
Guest Writer
Founder and CEO of Moburst
Source: Entrepreneur
Any marketing effort should be driven by
the fact consumers love their mobile devices. It's of their most prized
possessions. It’s their best friend, the object they always carry with them and
most importantly, the device through which they will most likely access your
service. As the mobile industry grows, brands appear to be showing a deeper
understanding of this new reality and seem to be doing their very best to
adjust.
However, while many brands understand the
importance of a strong mobile presence, they do not necessarily know how to get
there. In the process of figuring things out, it seems that everyone loves to
throw around big words like “mobile first,” “context” and “personalization” but
not enough people know what these terms actually mean. It’s time to drill down
and find out how to actually implement a mobile-first marketing strategy and
not just use these trendy slogans.
Kick personalization up a notch
Targeting potential users based on
demographics and interests is great, but it’s not nearly enough to see concrete
results. The primary difference between mobile ads and desktop ads is that
users are exposed to mobile ads when they’re on the go and surrounded by other
people, situations and events.
The best way to achieve results is to find
out exactly what potential consumers are experiencing and to target them with a
mobile ad that correlates to that specific experience. This can be done by
gathering data using geo-location technologies and check-ins in public places.
Whereas 30-second TV advertisements can set
a scene and then “hit” the viewer with the message when he or she is ready to
absorb it, mobile ads don’t have that luxury. For that reason, “hitting”
consumers with the right message when they are experiencing a relevant
situation helps paint a more comprehensive picture of the product you’re trying
to sell. For example, if you’re marketing a taxi app, chances are you’ll get more
conversion from ads if you geo-target people who just stepped out of a huge
concert (and are most likely looking for a ride home).
Reach and convert within seconds
A mobile-first approach understands that
the goal is no longer to transmit a message that might resonate with
consumers later on but rather to get them to act NOW. This is why knowing what
the consumer needs and when they need it is crucial to achieving a higher
conversion rate.
For instance, if you’re advertising a taxi
app and trying to target a 30-year-old woman, you can first figure out where
she is. If she’s on her way to work, and it’s currently pouring rain outside,
chances are she’ll go out of her way to catch a taxi. This is the time to act!
Not only will that woman want to download your app, she’ll register immediately
and become a user in a matter of minutes.
Mobile ads, unlike other types of ads,
allow marketers to turn potential consumers into users and immediately try out
their product with just a few clicks. In order to utilize this benefit of
mobile ads, brands should use a clear call-to-action and appropriate messaging
to successfully attract users and get them to check out the product right away.
Personalize the product itself
Marketers: If you think your work is done
after the download stage, think again. In-app events are just as important to
ensure that people not only download the app (and don't forget about it two
days later) but become active, engaged users.
The most crucial step in ensuring that
users continue from the download stage to registration is the onboarding stage.
There are a few services out there that allow developers to create apps that
adapt according to the user. These adaptations include everything from the
screen flow to the messaging and color palette.
For instance, a music-streaming app could
have a target audience that encompasses many different age groups and people of
varied interests. While attracting these users can be done through using ad
targeting, age-inappropriate in-app elements might scare them away. This sort
of app could benefit from the service mentioned above and offer different
users' text and messaging that “speak” to them in their own language. A mobile
first approach recognizes this challenge and harnesses the right tools to
handle it.