Ever since the late Steve Jobs introduced the Apple iPhone in 2007, digital marketers have been paying close attention to the explosive growth in mobile usage. In 2016, market research firm PricewaterhouseCoopers estimated that 51 percent of digital marketing budgets were used to reach mobile users.
By the year 2020, nearly three quarters of all digital marketing efforts will target mobile devices. With this in mind, here are a few quick tips marketing experts recommend that can help your business reach the 77 percent of Americans who are currently glued to their smartphones:
Have Mobile-Friendly Websites and Landing Pages
This is the first and most important step. Smartphone users who see a non-responsive website on their mobile browsers are easily disappointed and will likely navigate to the pages of competing businesses. This means that they probably won’t spend too much time on your website—effecting your site’s bounce rate negatively.
One of the best strategies is to highlight contact information for website visitors who arrive via smartphones. Visitors browsing from tablets should be able to enjoy a multimedia-friendly experience as well.
Master How Social Media Marketing Works Best for Your Industry
Social networks are surprisingly effective marketing channels for companies operating in just about any sector. A political polling company, for example, can reach smartphone users through Twitter updates because those interested in politics typically pay attention to such mobile notifications.
Although it doesn’t take too much effort to understand the ins and outs of social media, it’s not all cut and dry. There’s actually a lot of depth and technique to it. In fact, mastering social media marketing on a deep level may require in-person instruction. Law firm marketers, for example, can attend retreats for legal marketing services to learn more about mobile trends in this specific sector. Check to see if there are any such marketing learning opportunities out there that cater to your specific niche.
Create Vertical Video and Podcasts
The rise of YouTube on mobile devices has transformed the way we look at digital video. Successful mobile marketing campaigns make good use of vertical video, which consists of short clips produced to look their best when smartphones are naturally held in portrait mode. In the case of podcasts, they have become the most intimate method to reach smartphone users who never leave home without their headphones.
Don’t Ever Believe That Mobile Apps Are Dying Out
Each year, a few tech analysts will say that mobile apps have been killed by the mobile web. The problem with this claim is that mobile apps continue to be installed by millions of users every year. Smartphone users are unlikely to give up on mobile apps anytime soon, and advertisers are still allocating a good portion of their budgets in this regard.
In the end, mobile marketing should be taken very seriously by business owners who wish to remain competitive in 2018. The tips listed herein are just the beginning—marketing managers should stay tuned to trends because the mobile sector is very dynamic.
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