Marketing with Mobile with Newport Interactive Marketers

One in four mobile subscribers in the US is using a smartphone to use apps, browse the Web, check email, play games, text, and more.  Major publishers like ESPN and the Weather Channel have more mobile traffic than traffic from the web.

How businesses should leverage mobile devices for marketing purposes was the topic of the first Newport Interactive Marketers gathering of 2011 held on January 20 at Christie’s.  Tamara Gruber of Red Giant Consulting guided attendees into the mobile marketing world.  Topics such as mobile web and apps with customer identity and access management, mobile search, QR codes were all discussed.

Follow along and learn more with Tamara’s slides.

Mobile marketing matters.  Why?

• The majority of cellphones owned in 2011 will be smartphones
• Mobile users will outpace desktop by 2014, 120 million next year alone
• Less clutter, more personal on mobile
• Google doesn’t always direct you to the mobile site, not always user-friendly
• If you want a restaurant, need phone number, hours, location
• 1/3 of online shoppers browse on mobile
• Mobile search volume has grown 130% year-over-year

Mobile Web

• Pros 35% mobile subs use browsers, cross-device support
• Best practices Create mobile appropriate content & use tools that optimize by platform
• Getting started Mofuse, Wapple, Netbiscuits can help move your website into the mobile space.

Mobile Apps

• Pros More than 60 apps downloaded for every Apple device sold & a rich user experience
• Best practices Be the most best helpful with your content: consider what someone really wants/needs
• Getting started Chomp, Appolicious, Appitalism

Local businesses and services should be taking advantage of mobile search, click to call, book.

• Leverage “click to call” on mobile + click to map + click to share, etc.
• Encourage customers to check-in to get your biz/location onto customers’ social networks, such as Facebook

SMS Marketing

• More than 7 trillion texts will be sent in 2011
• Use short message service (SMS) to promote your business:  contests, coupons, votes, etc, we recommend seeking for the best sms solutions for small business

QR Codes

• Quick response:  2-D barcode scanned by mobile app or camera phone
• Delivers information, coupons, links, etc.
• Example of good use of QR code: A house for sale, get more pix, info on the home
• QR codes gaining traction and legit: Key is to think of user experience, lots of steps to deliver info, consider carefully
• QR codes are here to stay so create your code, add content, and PROMOTE it.

Mobile marketing future forecast

• Geolocation-based advertising
• Mobile commerce:  Great increase in online shopping
• Pay with your mobile phone

Mobile marketing is here to stay and growing in capabilities.  For your businesses’ success, learn how to harness applications for smartphones to reach out to your consumers on the platform that’s always in their pockets!