Yes, mobile marketing has been called all of the above.
So which is it?
We have discussed how big mobile marketing is before, and here are some more stats that may help inform your decision:
- It takes 90 minutes for the average person to respond to an email. It takes 90 seconds for the average person to respond to a text message. (CTIA.org, 2011)
- 70% of all mobile searches result in action within 1 hour. 70% of online searches result in action in one month. (Mobile Marketer, 2012)
- Mobile coupons get 10 times the redemption rate of traditional coupons. (Mobile Marketer, 2012)
- There are 7 billion people on Earth. 5.1 billion own a cell phone. 4.2 billion own a toothbrush. (Mobile Marketing Association Asia, 2011)
- 91% of all smart phone users have their phone within arm’s reach 24/7 – (Morgan Stanley, 2012)
So that shows there is some penetration into the marketplace, regardless of who you are selling to or what niche you are in. And then there are these facts:
- 44% of Facebook’s 900 million monthly users access Facebook on their phones. These people are twice as active on Facebook as non-mobile users (Facebook, 2012)
- Mobile marketing will account for 15.2% of global online ad spend by 2016. (Berg Insight, 2012)
- It takes 26 hours for the average person to report a lost wallet. It takes 68 minutes for them to report a lost phone. (Unisys, 2012)
- 9 out of 10 mobile searches lead to action, over half leading to purchase. (Search Engine Land, 2012)
- 61% of local searches on a mobile phone result in a phone call. (Google, 2012)
- 52% of all mobile ads result in a phone call. (xAd, 2012)
The way I read these, I’m thinking that marketing to mobile device owners is something that should be addressed as a valid option when creating or reviewing your marketing strategy. Integrating text messaging, subscriptions, and QR Codes into your marketing campaigns could be very effective approach to getting the results that you desire from your marketing dollars.
Is mobile for everyone?
Doubtful. Each market segment is a bit different and each business within that segment or niche is unique. There is no one size fits all. By the same token, to rule out using mobile marketing without assessing the possibilities it brings to reach your ideal customer when and where they are most likely to respond in a positive way to your brand or offer would be short sighted.
Mobile marketing is changing every market and new ways to use this technology are rolling out every week. While many things have changed in the mobile world, some have not. Facebook continues to be the most downloaded app for any mobile device (hey, maybe that whole Facebook thing could be a viable marketing channel for you to consider too?) and user’s privacy concerns continue be an issue, with 73% of smart phone owners expressing concern over personal data collection.
So what should you do now?
We recommend that you start conservatively with at least a mobile device landing page regardless of your business. If your ideal customers are part of the connected crowd and would look you up on the go, then a mobile site may make sense.
A quick note: Google and most major search engines rank mobile sites separately from their larger format sister sites. This may be a strategic opportunity to establish your company with a higher ranking site for your mobile searchers.
Once you have a mobile presence, your next steps should be directed by the types of marketing campaigns your business plans to run. And always ask before implementing a new channel, does this make sense for us now? If a mobile campaign could make sense, then it is likely worth a test or two.
Your turn…..
So, what are your experiences with mobile marketing? Does your company have at least a mobile landing page? A full mobile site? Are you doing any mobile specific campaigns?