According to research conducted by Deloitte, about 72 percent of people in the UK owned a smartphone in 2013, an increase of about 14 percent from the previous year.
The rapid adoption of smartphones and other mobile devices has caused many businesses in the UK to incorporate mobile into their marketing strategies.
If you have not yet jumped on the mobile marketing bandwagon, you should start doing so as soon as possible, or you will be left behind by your competitors.
Below are helpful tips on how to get started with mobile marketing.
Benefits of Mobile Marketing
A survey commissioned by Google showed that 32 percent of British people made a purchase on their smartphones on a monthly basis in 2014.
Other than making purchases, consumers are increasingly using mobile devices to perform other shopping tasks, such as searching for products, obtaining product information and comparing deals.
By adding mobile to your marketing mix, you can significantly increase your brand visibility and expand your pool of potential customers.
Mobile marketing follows people everywhere they go, and it is not limited by location or time.
Since most mobile users keep their devices with them throughout the day, you can expect your customers to receive your time-sensitive messages, such as sales and special event notifications, with minimal or no delay.
Additionally, mobile marketing is an effective way to develop closer relationships with your customers, because mobile users are accustomed to using their devices for personal communication.
Another advantage of implementing mobile marketing is that it is more cost-effective than many other forms of marketing, such as television and radio advertising.
How to Get Started with Mobile Marketing
Assess Your Mobile Readiness
Before you start investing in mobile marketing, you have to make sure that your company is mobile-ready. Determine your objectives for mobile marketing and devise effective strategies for creating a great mobile experience for your customers.
Make Your Website Mobile-Friendly
In order to make your website more appealing to mobile users, you need to constantly keep it up-to-date with the latest mobile technologies. It should be responsive across the screen sizes of different mobile devices, simple and easy to navigate, and able to load very quickly. Also, the amount of data entry needed should be limited.
Leverage Social Media
Integrating social media into your mobile marketing strategy can boost your marketing results significantly. Encourage your mobile audience to spread the word about your business on both popular and lesser known social media websites. According to an article entitled “5 Ways to Get Started with Mobile Marketing“, promoting your business on local and niche social networks is a great way to expand your customer base.
Use Analytics Tools
It is important that you use analytics tools, such as Google Analytics, to monitor the performance of your mobile marketing campaigns on a regular basis. If you find that your mobile marketing strategies are not delivering the desired results, you can take appropriate measures to improve their effectiveness.
Mobile marketing is becoming increasingly essential in today’s competitive business world.
By following the tips above, you will up the odds to be able to devise and implement an effective mobile marketing plan that will take your business to a new level of success.
About the Author: John McMalcolm is a freelance writer who writes on a wide range of subjects, from social media marketing to Cloud computing.
