Communication opportunities are so fractured in today’s multimedia world. When it comes to marketing, companies who are opting for a “mobile first” strategy are neglecting a core audience. A Business Insider article suggested a “mobile too” strategy for companies. Especially, after they surveyed readership and found many, about 90% still use a desktop/laptop computer as their primary computing device. However, mobile wasn’t far behind at slightly above 60%. I believe in the very near future, 6-8 months, we will begin to see a shift in what is coined mobile. Tablets, iPad being the most popular, can now be taken anywhere there is cell phone service and access the web, just like a smartphone. With the emergence of smartwatches, that rely on your mobile device, this too will become part of the mobile category.
So how can you and your company embrace mobile technology and use it to your advantage? Let’s find out.
1. Know your audience
This one sounds simple, and for many businesses it is. Either through observation or preferably through data that can be tracked via Google Analytics, Facebook, surveys, emails, etc., take a look at who’s your core audience. For example, in my last blog post I referenced a Facebook ad campaign I recently completed for a private K-8 school. After dissecting the data we discovered we might need to incorporate a new core audience into our mix. Traditionally, we believed that women, ages 25-54 was our target sweet spot. However, after the recent campaign we’ve learned women, ages 55-65+ were more likely to engage with our ad content then the previous age group, even though the number of times the ad was placed in front of them was lower than the 25-54 age group. Additionally, the analytics also indicated that 94% of all clicks to the ad were from viewing Facebook via a smartphone or tablet.
This data supports recent research from Business Insider which suggests future smartphone buyers will be older and poorer. Now that we have a new grasps on our audience. We can better build messages that would resonate with the audience. Knowing your audience is an age-old recommendation from communicators and marketers. But it is essential for successful communication and cannot be emphasized enough.
2. Content customization
Marketers and communicators continue to place a large focus on content. No matter what new technology comes along, you have to tell a story to peak someone’s interest. More so than ever, thanks to so many options for individuals to choose from. Dr. Steven Padgett from the Troy University’s Hall School of Journalism and Communication reinforces the impact of content, “strong content is king in any medium. Mobile devices are simply another way to display our content.”
Continue to tell your story, but with a twist. Include the perspective of the user/customer, involve them to create user generated content (UGC). Ask your customers to submit their own testimonials on why they frequent your business or use your product. Nine times out of 10 they are telling you through a video on YouTube that they recorded on their mobile phone, or sent you a Tweet directing them to their blog about their review of your services. With mobile communication, embrace it, let your customers help tell and share the story so it’s customized by your more brand’s advocates. The most powerful form of marketing is when customers engage in word-of-mouth conversations on their own, sharing your message.
Mobile communication is personal, so why not play to those strengths. An example of content customization is sharing messages your customers at the time THEY need them, not when you feel it’s best. A great example is in a mall in San Antonio, Texas. The mall has free WiFi for all shoppers. Once you connect, you are asked to include your mobile number and/or email. Then while shopping you might receive a text message from a store about special offers that are happening that day. Also, with modern mobile technology, most phone now recognize when you are close to a WiFi connection that you have signed on to before. It will automatically connect you, the “handshake,” as its called and you could instantly begin receiving information about the latest deals. As a consumer, this helps from having to search through any of the popular coupon apps to locate one. Through mobile technology, the coupon is delivered when the customer needs it, even before he/she realizes that she needs it.
Also, keep in mind that the mobile viewing experience is different. When creating content, such as a ‘how-to’ or ‘best practices’ article, know the right length to quickly read on a mobile device. Know that adding too many, high resolution photos will slow down load times and in-turn, drive traffic away from your content. It’s best to experiment with a few layouts to find out what your audience likes best.
3. Cross channel promotion
Many individuals today consume news and social media through their mobile devices. In the fractured multimedia world that I mentioned early, you should not ignore your core communication tools. If you have a great customer story to tell, proudly display it on your website, in an eblast, in your newsletter and at your business. Then use social media to share that great story you worked so hard to capture with your difference audiences.
Remember that each social media channel displays information differently. Facebook can handle longer posts better, Twitter is only 140 characters and just recently integrated video, and Instagram focuses on photos or video with very little text. Each channel has its strengths and it’s important to customize the same content for each. Using each channel will help maximize the life of your content and goes a long way in providing a consistent brand message across the digital sphere.
4. Mobile integration
Each of the recommendations above have some overlap, and this one is no different. Let me be clear though, when I say mobile integration, I mean a “mobile too” approach, not a mobile-centric one. With so many people using smartphones, it’s clear that a business must make accommodations to communicate with this growing audience segment. In the last year or so, responsive design within website has grown in popularity. A responsive design means that the look of a website adapts to the size of the screen and doesn’t require to build a mobile-only website. You will notice this even on your desktop, view a website in full screen and shrink the window down to a ¼ of your screen. Did it change the layout of the website? If so, then you’re viewing a responsive website.
This innovation allows for a seamless user experience from desktop, to tablet to smartphone. It is what consumers are expecting and what Google is pushing.
Here’s a personal example, my wife is in the 25-35 age range and only uses a desktop computer for work. When she’s home and out and about, she is on her smartphone. She does everything from it, pays bills, keeps up with friends on Facebook and Instagram, watches Netflix, emails, reads news, text messages, plays games and more. She hasn’t turned on her computer at home in about eight months. Me for example, use a desktop computer at work, use my mobile phone for business and personal use and use my iPad for school work (writing my blog post), movies, games, news, and more.
My point is, mobile communication continues to grow and is a part of our everyday lives, where we like it or not. Embrace it, include it into your marketing mix. Treat mobile as an opportunity and not like an old piece of food in the refrigerator that you know is there, but do not want to look at.
Hi Stephen,
ReplyDeleteAllow me to start off and say that this was a great read. I can relate to this because majority of these aspects, I used them working for my company, Alabama Media Group. I felt that your number one point was right on the head. It is very important for a company to know their audience. How can a company be effect if they do not know who they are communicating with? Once a company knows exactly who they are talking to, they can develop a message that can speak directly to them. Content customization is also imperative for a company to look into. This is the company’s opportunity to tell their story and build a connection with the audience. The example you used about a customer being in the mall and receiving text messages about sales at certain stores is a great marketing and messaging aspect. Once a company is strong enough to communicate, cross channel promotion is needed. In order for this to work, the message must remain the same across all platforms. You don’t want to send different messages across your platforms to confuse your audience. Content is a very important tool, because Google pays attention to content when a person is searching for a company. The more content that Google can find, the easier a company can be found. Also, when it comes to responsive websites, it is important that your website is up to date and up to par with the rules of Google. Google rules basically run everything in the internet world. Since it is the number one search engine website, why wouldn’t you want to cooperate with the site that can help change your business around? I completely agree with your post and look forward to reading more of your blogs.
Great job,
Whitney Butler