The Rise of Mobile Marketing

Studies have shown that last year people spent a third of their waking hours on their phones, that’s the equivalent of 4.8 hours each day browsing apps. In essence this is a 30% increase in usage since 2019 and in a mobile first world where consumers are spending an amazing 3.8 trillion hours on mobile devices what impact and opportunities will this present to marketers?      

It wouldn’t be possible to examine these statistics without taking into account the changes that occurred in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In essence we’ve seen an increase in mobile usage because the world has been home for, literally, years and having gadgets closer has kept people more connected, not only for entertainment but also for work. And even though life is returning to some sort of normality it doesn’t appear that remote work is going away so connectivity through mobile is going to be even greater.  

Avid social networkers will have noticed the boom that photo and video apps such as Instagram and TikTok are experiencing with new trends and challenges appearing almost daily. This is also backed up by data reporting that Generation Z are spending 7 out of every 10 minutes on photo and video apps. This generation of users are much more connected and interested in sharing their lives on social media. In addition other segments like gaming, finance and retail have also seen app usage increase through smart phone devices so what does this mean for marketers when targeting consumers.

Using data on your marketing strategies can be a good way to find potential problems and opportunities. People are potentially spending a third of their day staring at a single screen. This means that marketers have an abundance of opportunities at their fingertips, however, for this to bring you results it’s necessary to understand a way to make the deliberate use of mobile devices a direct channel connecting their audience, from entertainment to business.

Having a mobile-friendly website is simply no longer enough. Therefore, it’s important to understand the channels your audience is in. If your business runs an app, you might be closer than you think to your audience. Apps are great for collecting data about users, which can help in developing more specific strategies. There is also the benefit of mobile apps sending push notifications and offers in real-time, increasing the chance of interactions. However, your app needs to have purpose and objectives as consumers are very selective with the apps that they download. Furthermore, with the golden nugget “data” (the marketers dream and one of the most important resources today) it’s important that you earn that data and master it for your business. In essence, provide valuable and interesting content that consumers want to sign up to so it’s important to keep in mind that people are more interested in photo and video content. Therefore, think about creating quality and creative content that engages with your audience. This can be through interactive, intuitive, engaging content which stands out, allowing you to collect first party data as they sign up for more! 

Furthermore, social media is forever growing and evolving so give your brand a boost through paid initiatives or consider brand association with an influencer. Digital influencers are very visible on channels such as Instagram and Tik Tok and can be very influential creating brand awareness, launching products, entering new markets and promoting marketing initiatives. Influencers have an immense power to connect with the public with enormous engagement rates so weigh up the pros and cons of inviting them to partner with you.

As mentioned at the start gaming is also a popular recreation of mobile users with reports in the US last year of $116 billion dollars spent on gaming. Therefore, it’s a no-brainer not to consider this as a promotional toll to link your brand with or launch advertisements.       

If you’d like to discuss any app or content requirements get in touch.