How many blogs have you read already that talk about the importance of mobile? How mobile is a necessity and “must-have” in today’s digital age? I know I’ve written a few articles on the topic myself and the truth is, the mobile revolution arrived years ago. Since its arrival, it has spread like wildfire. Within the technology industry alone, we are witnessing exponential growth almost daily. What was once a new phone or tablet has now exploded into phablets (phone + tablet), wearable technology like the Apple or Samsung watches, countless sizes of devices, and literally 99% of phones coming out are “smart” or can access the internet.
The fundamental issue that we must acknowledge is how mobile technology is changing our human nature. People interact in ways they never have before. Relationships are built and destroyed on Facebook. We have created an app for everything from tracking your calories to translating the Bible. And you can literally sign a contract to buy a house while sitting on the toilet (done it). Yes, the mobile revolution has changed our lives considerably. In fact, mobile users eclipsed desktop users back in 2014 and it’s only gotten worse. Or better if you’re a mobile marketer. In fact, Mobile Ad Spending is expected to reach $65.8 Billion by 2019 with 72.2% of digital ad spending. That’s pretty big flow of profit by any standard.
One of the most important aspects of mobile marketing is how it is affected by the search engines. Back in April of last year, Google started including more mobile friendly websites in search results. To do this, they started incorporating “mobile-friendliness” as a ranking factor. This is important because it is targeting mobile friendly results. As Search Engine Land reports, “there was a 21% decrease in non-mobile friendly URLs on the first 3 pages of search results.” Now this is talking about MOBILE SEARCH RESULTS. That is important to note because desktop search results didn’t experience as much of a change. But in today’s world, using the inbound methodology, you need to meet your prospects where they are. If they are using their mobile devices, you need to make sure your site displays for them on those mobile devices. If you expect to show up for your prospect while he’s sitting at the tire shop waiting for a tire rotation, you need to make sure your site is mobile optimized. So now not only does having a mobile friendly site help your overall website ranking, but ranking for mobile users specifically.
But there is a whole other side to mobile marketing… APPS!!!
Apps provide another tremendous opportunity for mobile marketing. Just like smartphones and tablets have embedded themselves in our lives, the advent of applications came right along with them. But not every should invest in an app. As Steve Olenski writes for Forbes / CMO Network “not every company needs an app. Often a mobile-optimized site will meet most requirements.” It is important to think about your target demographic and your business model. Does your target demographic perform actions that can be enhanced by an app? If your business does support a deeper connection with your use through app integration, there are some other opportunities that you can take advantage of.
- Apps can be optimized for search – Believe it or not, SEO has evolved regarding apps and now we have ASO (app store optimization). The principles are the same, however. You’ll want to have a solid App name that is descriptive and choose relevant keywords that help your users find the app in the 1,000s of apps in the app store.
- People spend more time on apps – When comparing web usage to app usage, people spend 86% of their time on apps. Compared to 14% of their time on the web. Whether it be social media, Google search, or YouTube, you have a greater percentage if your business is reaching users via these app channels. To do that, you must be optimized for mobile and have a solid social strategy to connect with. You can really affect your bottom line by investing in social promotion and advertising. That leads us to #3
- Apps provide a place for advertisement – Even if your business doesn’t have a need for an app, you can still make use of popular apps to advertise your business. Apps like twitter, Instagram, Linked In, Pinterest, and more, offer promoted ads within their networks. Advertising your business via popular apps can gain you 100s of 1,000s of views within a targeted audience. That’s important because the more targeted the audience, the higher quality impressions you’re getting.
These have been two of the main reasons why mobile marketing is important. Each comes with its own benefits and limitations but ultimately illustrate the importance for a mobile marketing strategy. Technology is changing our world and literally rewiring our brains. To keep up with the speed of technology, business leaders must acknowledge the opportunities that are presented and adjust their strategies to maximize their benefit. The advent of mobile technologies has forced (or guided) the major players like Google, Facebook, etc to change their algorithm and processes. Understanding how this change affects you can mean the difference between reaching your entire audience or leaving more opportunity on the table than you realize.
