Mobile Marketing: Definition and Implementation Strategy

Based on the We Are Social report that there are 97.7% of internet users accessing it via smartphone. Seeing the high use of smartphones, most entrepreneurs are starting to adopt mobile marketing techniques to market their products.

Cellphones that were originally only used to make calls and send messages, have now become mobile phones with all the functions and benefits to facilitate everyday life, such as internet access, social media, video and various other features, including presenting the concept of e-commerce and e-business. This is where the concept of a mobile marketing strategy was born.

Unfortunately, not all businesses have successfully implemented marketing strategies. Because this marketing strategy has several challenges, such as customers who feel disturbed by digital marketing or data leakage issues. Even though this can be solved if you want to learn more about mobile marketing.

What is Mobile Marketing?

As the name implies, mobile marketing is a product marketing strategy in the form of services and services using mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. Mobile marketing targets are also users of these devices. Marketing activities can be done with various features on mobile phones, from SMS to message notifications.

The mobile marketing trend is also growing as customer attention is diverted to mobile phones. Therefore, businesses follow this trend adapting to the wishes of customers. But with technology, mobile marketing activities are easier to attract customers.

Mobile marketing also utilizes technology such as the location of mobile device users, so that businesses can install their campaigns according to their target location. The targeted gadget users do not have to be connected to the internet, because there is an SMS feature as an option to market their products. Keep in mind, the target audience for mobile marketing is grouped based on their behavior, not demographic factors such as age and gender.

How Mobile Marketing Works

Mobile marketing may include promotions sent via SMS text messages, MMS multimedia messages, via applications downloaded using push notifications, via in-app or in-game advertisements, via mobile websites, or by using mobile devices to scan QR codes.

Proximity systems and location-based services can alert users based on geographic location or proximity to service providers.

Types of Mobile Marketing

There are a number of types of mobile marketing strategies. The strategy is carried out by adjusting the format, specifications, and dimensions of the device.

Online ad formats on smartphones will certainly be different from ad formats on tablets. Following are the types of mobile marketing strategies:

1. SMS Marketing

As the name suggests, this marketing is done through text messages. This mobile marketing strategy is permission-based, because you will send promotions, offers, coupons, etc. directly to the user's mobile number.

Marketing via SMS is still relevant today, because SMS has a number of advantages. SMS has high levels of deliverability, openness, and engagement.

2. Social Media

Mobile marketing strategies can also be carried out on social media. This is because people tend to check their social media via cellphones rather than PC or laptops.

Several well-known social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, have billions of users. Of course, this is a huge market potential to attract new customers.

Various features on social media allow for the creation of personal relationships between brands or companies and their customers. Customers can communicate directly with the company through the comments column or private messages.

To advance your business, you can focus on regularly filling out content on social media and getting an audience organically. In order to quickly reach the right customers, you can place personalized social media ads according to user interests.

3. Location-based marketing

Location-based marketing relies on the GPS function installed on the device. With this type of marketing, you can display relevant promotions and content, according to the user's location.

This mobile marketing strategy is very profitable if you have a local business, such as cafes, restaurants, boutiques, and so on.

This type of marketing generates more favorable responses. This is because the marketing is carried out relevant to the location of the device user.

4. In-app Marketing

As a smartphone owner, of course you download a number of applications through the Play Store (Android) or the App Store (iOS). Either this application can help your daily life or is entertainment like a mobile game.

In various applications, there is something called an in-app advertisement. You can place advertisements in the application to market your products and services through in-app advertisements.

Some of the popular in-app advertisement formats include banners that appear at the top or bottom of mobile screens, video ads, or intermediate ads.

The last ad mentioned usually appears in mobile games, when switching from one level to the next.

5. Mobile Search Ads and Mobile Image Ads

These ads appear when users perform searches on search engines like Google. In mobile marketing, this marketing strategy also utilizes add-on extensions, such as click-to-call or maps that lead to our business.

Likewise with mobile image ads, where marketing strategies emerge by searching for images on search engines. The difference is, mobile image ads are not equipped with the extensions mentioned earlier

6. QR code

Currently, there are many websites or applications that can be accessed by simply scanning a QR code. When this code is scanned by a gadget user, the intended website page will appear.

This is a unique mobile marketing strategy, as QR codes tend to be mysterious and inevitably invite users to scan them, not knowing what content they are viewing. The trick is to create a QR code that points to the advertised website or product, then place the ad in a place that is often highlighted by gadget users.

Mobile Marketing Tools

Mobile marketing tools are digital marketing strategies that businesses use to reach their target audience through various channels available on smartphones, tablets and other digital devices. This can include ads placed on social media, such as Twitter and Instagram, or pop-up ads in browsers.

Some free mobile marketing tools include:

1. AppsFlyer

AppsFlyer is a mobile apps marketing and analytics software that enables developers, businesses and marketing agencies to track and optimize their acquisition funnel.

This platform is integrated with many applications, so that advertisers can carry out comprehensive promotional campaigns.

2. Insiders

Insider is a marketing platform for businesses that delivers experiences across digital channels such as Web, Apps, Web Push, Email, SMS, Messaging Apps (WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, RCS), Advertising and more. 

3. Branch

Branch provides comprehensive solutions on user measurement across devices, platforms and channels, and provides a satisfying customer experience wherever users come from. 

Branch are used primarily for their cross-platform attribution functionality and universal linking capabilities.

Mobile Marketing Strategy

Mobile marketing has many advantages that benefit businesses. Even so there are some challenges that businesses face when implementing it. Therefore, we provide some tips that businesses can try to maximize mobile marketing.

The following are the steps for implementing effective mobile marketing:

Step 1. Understand customer needs

Understanding customer needs is a mandatory requirement before developing a marketing strategy. From these customer needs can determine what kind of marketing the customer needs. To make things easier, you can divide customers into several categories. For example based on job descriptions, information sources, goals, challenges, preferred types of content, and roles in the buying process.

Step 2. Set goals

Before starting to implement a mobile marketing strategy, it is very important for you to determine the target you want to achieve. Then create as detailed a plan as possible to achieve your mobile marketing goals. This makes it easier for the team to monitor progress for each stage and can also be a motivation for employees to exceed targets.

Step 3. Create a Key Performance Indicator (KPI)

KPIs will make it easier for the team to monitor and evaluate which points can be optimized. Therefore, you need to create realistic and measurable KPIs that describe your mobile marketing success. Here are some points that you need to pay attention to to support your marketing success:

• Engagement
• Acquisition
• Customer service

Step 4. Monitoring the development of mobile marketing

The last thing that should not be forgotten is monitoring the success of the mobile marketing campaign. Take advantage of analytical reporting tools that make it easy for you to track how far your mobile marketing has progressed. These marketing tools will also help you to identify problems that occur and can be fixed immediately.

Conclusion

Mobile marketing is a marketing opportunity that has great potential in the future. It is estimated that smartphone and tablet users will continue to grow, along with the release of several new device models. Campaigns promoted with this mobile marketing method will definitely be highlighted, as long as the content is relevant and packed with interesting content.