Mobile advertising is becoming increasingly more important as cell phone usage rates continue to grow, especially with the adaptation of smartphones. And it has been predicted that marketing and advertising budgets are going to significantly increase in regards to mobile marketing over the next few years. This means businesses need to be cautious and be sure they are spending their time developing an effective mobile marketing campaign that reaches their intended audience.
A continuously overlooked method of marketing, SMS (text messaging) is one of the most commonly used and popular communication methods in the world. Text messaging is easy to use and doesn’t cost a lot of money, so implementing a text messaging campaign is a great, cost-effective way to reach a large group of people. Users are able to opt in to an SMS marketing campaign, and actively seek information or updates about a specific company, product or service. SMS is not a fancy form of mobile advertising, but it fosters the one-on-one conversation necessary to reach the customer.
SMS marketing is easy on your wallet and has high open rates, but your customers may want more. Consider implementing rich media advertisements. Rich media ads are highly appealing, and offer more interactivity and aesthetic value to the customer. With smartphone usage rates continuing to soar, rich media advertising is presumed to be the natural progression toward more engaging ads. Rich media ads can be expensive and take a significant amout of time to strategize, create and deploy. However, they can be very captivating and accomplish, if not surpass, your marketing objectives.
Still not convinced you need to address the growth of mobile marketing? By 2014, it is expected that half the United States’ population will browse the web with mobile devices. This means you need to think about your website and changes you might need to make now. Discover how your website looks and acts on a smartphone, like a BlackBerry, or a tablet, such as the iPad. If necessary, you may have to make modifications or even create a mobile version of your site so it is accessible and accurate on any device. The majority of your target audience may not be currently accessing the web through their mobile devices, but make changes today and don’t let your website fall behind the curve.
For many businesses, things are beginning to look up, which may mean an increase in your marketing and advertising budget. Think wisely about where you are going to spend your those dollars, and be sure to invest in strategies that reach your audience at every level. Make sure your customers can find and communicate with you by investing in smart, profitable mobile marketing solutions.
