Marketers, your audience has gone mobile. Have you?
From email to games, social media and e-commerce, more and more digital interaction is happening on mobile devices. Yet organizations large and small across all industries are struggling to keep up with the mobile shift and are demand for capable, proven mobile marketing talent is at an all-time high. It’s one of the things we as marketing recruiters asked about most often in new marketing positions.
Brands are desperate for reliable full time mobile experts and mobile marketing staffing now. And soon all marketers will have to keep mobile experiences top-of-mind for all their strategies on all media. You can cement your value to current employers and lay a foundation for your career’s future by investing the time and training necessary to become a mobile marketing master. (TWEET THIS)
Ready to get started? If you’re still catching up on the mobile marketing wave, here are 4 things you need to always keep in mind.
Modernizing Marketing Skills to a Mobile Age
The way society interacts with media has changed. Today, consumers have more options than ever on where, how, and when to shop. No matter the channel, whether it is mobile, in-store, or online, brands are consistently delivering an impressive amount of content to their customers. Mobile is high on the agenda with many brands, improving their mobile web experiences and creating an influx of apps to better serve their customers.
It is very difficult to break through the torrent of media clutter of apps available to the consumer at every moment of the day, let alone drive hard dollars out of a brand’s mobile presence. This is especially true since the mobile channel is too often isolated from other media and cross-channel attribution is still evolving.
Today, consumers expect an optimal experience when interacting with any brand. They are accustomed to on-demand, personalized information and want marketers to understand their preferences before they buy. Thus, the roles have shifted and context– not just content– that must be optimized, especially when it comes to mobile marketing.
1. Smartphones and tablets are always on and within arm’s reach.
No matter the day or time, a smartphone or tablet is always available whenever they want to interact with a brand.
Mobile customers access their devices in real-time, almost every hour of every day. Rarely will someone turn off their device, so marketers now have the opportunity to reach anyone at any time. The same goes for the customer– there is no downtime when it comes to mobility. No matter the day or time, a smartphone or tablet is always available whenever they want to interact with a brand. In fact, 44 percent of cell phone owners have reported sleeping with their phones next to their bed so they don’t “miss anything” during the night (Pew Research Center).
This is a lot of power–and a lot of responsibility. You’ll have to be very cautious if you try to reach consumers at unconventional times. But doing so can be incredibly effective.
Further, you need to be ready to respond to your audience at almost any time. If someone tries to engage with your brand before going to sleep or while eating breakfast, you need to be able to respond or lose your best opportunities.
2. Mobility adds a new level of intimacy.
Smartphones and tablets are usually owned and used by one person, unlike PCs and laptops, which are often shared. The average person’s smartphone contains all of their personal and business information. And now, with the introduction of the Apple Watch to the market, mobile devices can even sense your body temperature, your comfort level, and details about your sleep schedule.
Mobile grants marketers access to a lot of information…much of which consumers might consider sensitive. Be very careful with how you gather and use their data or risk a huge backlash.
3. Context needs to be second nature.
Now that marketers are flooded with all of this important information, it no longer makes sense to deliver irrelevant information. Brands can’t blindly send messages– they need to adjust to who they’re targeting and what their “relationship” is with that specific individual. Timing, location, and relevance are essential to making the most effective marketing.
A short explanation of mobile context and how to get started:
video from Lyris
4. Get ready for wearables.
So far “mobile” has mostly meant smartphones and tablets and little else. You can expect that to change soon as technology expands what we have on us at all times. Smart glasses, armbands, watches, shoes and more already exist and are being refined. Who know’s what’s next? Be on the constant look out for opportunities to innovate and be the first to stake your claim in a new space.
With all this in mind, realizing the full benefits that mobile can deliver requires even greater knowledge of and respect for the customer and his or her needs. Brands need to recognize that context is critical to starting a conversation with their consumers and maintaining that dialogue throughout the customer journey, no matter the channel. Fortunately, mobile provides this added level of knowledge like no channel before it and helps marketers engage more fluidly across all channels.
By unlocking the power of mobile– the ultimate customer engagement tool– you can fuel success and business innovation to meet customer needs now and into the future. Get the strategic, creative and technical mobile skills you need and drastically improve your personal brand!
Source: 1to1 Media
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