Mobile marketing is booming, and the growth does not seem to be stopping. Easy access, the convenience of use, and the popularity of cellphones as personal devices are some reasons why companies are making big time investments in mobile marketing. In fact, it is predicted that company allocations for mobile phone marketing will rise by 25% by 2018.
Here’s a look at the latest mobile marketing trends expected to dominate worldwide in the coming years:
Personalized, focused mobile marketing messages: Around three out four people use Short Text Messaging (SMS) Service, so marketers are cashing in on this service, using it as a ‘hook’ to direct users to apps, videos, and web pages. As users demand more control over the sort of messages they receive and resort to anti-spam services, marketers are coming up with innovative methods to target potential customers. They are tailoring mobile marketing campaigns to the personal needs of a user, making mobile media a credible way of engaging with prospective customers.
Geolocation: Location-based Augmented Reality software platforms and apps have come up in a big way, thanks to the rise in Global Positioning System (GPS) and the growing popularity of smartphones. When positioning-based services and AR are combined, it not only says where the user is located but shows on the mobile phone camera the location of the user in real time.
Marketers are taking advantage of these platforms to come up with innovative campaigns that encourage impulse purchases. For example, Facebook has launched a tie-up with a few restaurants in the UK. Its UK users get discount offers on their mobile phones when they pass by those restaurants.
Mobile transactions: As people increasingly buy and sell online, the mobile platform is becoming a convenient medium for instantaneous transactions. Since most users have their mobile phones with them throughout the day, there is a greater chance of impulse purchases with cell phone transactions. This is definitely something marketers can take advantage of.
QR codes: Used as mobile tagging, Quick Response (QR) orientation allows customers to access real-time information by taking a picture of the code or reading it with their cellphone cameras. Marketers have begun using this to trigger a call-to-action that can lead users to download content or a link that to brand ads and messages.
Smartphone and multimedia: Currently over 90% all mobile handset used worldwide are believed to have browser capabilities, and this is expected to rise to 95% by 2018. As the market for smartphones continues to evolve, with larger screen sizes, optimal performance, and battery life, mobile videos are gradually becoming popular. People using Mobile digital media in the US are 51% compared to that of the desktop of about 42%. Likewise, it is forecasted that by 2018, 149 million mobile video viewers will be watching videos at least monthly which accounts for 70 percent of all total digital video viewers in the United States. This year promises to be no less different. Marketers are using mobile videos as an interesting way of reaching out to people.
As technology evolves, marketing via mobile platform will continue to grow more innovative and exciting. Taking advantage of the upcoming mobile marketing trends in time can help companies reap a good harvest!
