Mobile Marketing & Its Influence On Consumer Spending

No matter where you go, consumers have their smartphone in hand.

Whether they’re browsing for restaurants or searching for answers, smartphones are taking over and so are the habits formed by consumers.

Research shows that most Americans now own a cell phone of some kind and mobile messaging has a huge influence on consumer behavior.

In fact, the numbers aren’t just growing, they’re skyrocketing.

Last year, smartphones accounted for over three-quarters of retail site visits in the country. About two-thirds of online shopping orders were generated through mobile-use. Therefore, companies that are looking to connect with consumers and raise awareness of promotions and offers have the best shot through mobile channels like SMS, MMS, and Mobile Wallet.

With the widespread use of mobile devices, this form of marketing has become increasingly important for businesses looking to connect with their target audience.

If consumers are spending a significant amount of time on their phone, marketers should be focusing their efforts here.

So, what should brands do to ensure they’re not missing out?

Here’s a list of top areas to target:

• SMS Marketing: Sending text messages to customers with promotions, coupons & updates

• Mobile Apps: Developing a mobile app for your business creates a direct channel for engagement with customers; loyalty programs, mobile ordering and push notifications

• Quick Response (QR) Codes: Create a QR code to place in marketing materials that consumers can scan for quick access directly to your website

• Mobile Ads: Create adds on social media apps or mobile websites such as banners, video or interactive ads

• Mobile Wallet Marketing: Integrate with mobile wallet apps like Apple Pay or Google Pay to deliver promos, loyalty points, or discounts

While you’re working to expand your marketing efforts to target consumers via smartphones and tablets, make sure to create content that is mobile-optimized. This means ensuring that your website has a quick response time, and creating a layout that can be adjusted to mobile screens for easy viewing.

With mobile-friendly content also comes voice search optimization.

Voice assistants like Alexa and Siri help customers find businesses by speaking into their phones.

Hence, the importance of making sure your content is optimized for easy voice search.

As this is a great time to take advantage of consumer mobile habits, you want to make sure you’re still respectful of user privacy and preferences.

And just like the digital world is constantly evolving, so too are mobile technologies and user behaviors. Once you’re ready to launch a mobile campaign, be sure to be ready to manipulate your plan with any changes that may come along.