4 Handy Tips to Mobile First Marketing Like An Expert

With smartphones becoming more important every day, a mobile first marketing approach is becoming critical for modern businesses. Mobile device users are currently spending on average over 3 hours and 45 minutes per day on their mobile devices so the suggestion of a mobile first approach should be no surprise (Flurry).

While many businesses still make mobile an afterthought, savvy business people are making mobile a priority to capitalize on trends in the market.

Before just pushing ahead with an iPhone application developer or Android application developer, it is best to understand how mobile can best fit within your overall marketing plan, and even more importantly, how mobile fits with your customer’s path to purchase. Mobile application development is about more than bringing and app to market, it is about creating an application that provides value for your business and customers.

Serve your customers

Start by asking yourself how your application can serve the needs of your customers. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Some times the best application come out of non linear thinking. But don’t be afraid to look at trends to evaluate utility with respect to what your consumers are used to in the market.

Also, remember when you build your application to make it a continuation of your branding and to focus on creating a uniform experience with your web site or physical locations.

Don’t forget to optimize your user’s experiences. Keep their convenience in mind as no consumer wants to use a complicated application that is not intuitive. No where is this more important than with a small screen. Users will quickly delete mobile applications that aren’t easy to use.

Utilize location based marketing

One of the biggest advantages of mobile marketing is the location data created on user’s mobile devices.  This data can be utilized to create better mobile marketing strategies. For instance, promotions delivered within 5 miles of a retail location are shown to have a spike in effectiveness. Mobile allows you to deliver messaging while users are in the right location for your messaging to have maximum effect.

Personalize the experience

Not only do you need to utilize the context of location, but the most effective applications and mobile marketing programs are personalizing their experiences to users. Messaging is most effective when it is relevant and mobile users are typically willing to give you the information you need to improve their experiences’ while on your application.

Make your website fast and responsive

Make sure your website is responsive and friendly. You will need to keep mobile connection speeds and screen sizes in mind, as poor experiences will lead users to abandon your site quickly. Avoid large images and make sure your visitors can navigate your site easily. Mobile web visitors are often on the go so convenience is at a premium.  Don’t forget to optimize your site with an easy to access phone number and directions to your store.

Photo: Luke Ma (Flikr) http://bit.ly/1AVnVq6