What is Mobile Marketing?

Mobile marketing involves reaching customers when they are using the Internet away from the traditional home or office desktop environment.

The increased use of smartphones, iPads, Tablets, and similar mobile devices has may make mobile marketing a must for many online businesses. Mobile marketing uses interactive media that assists customers in gaining location and time-sensitive information through wireless connectivity. It is helpful for all the stakeholders including organizations and clients. Consumers can search for a necessary product anywhere, anytime. Organizations can access prospective global buyers at any location at any time.

Mobile Marketing is drastically altering the current business landscape.

Marketing via cell phones, especially through text messages, is widely used throughout the world.  It is estimated that a recipient of a text message will read it within minutes, a phenomena that may increase a consumer’s response rate to an advertising message.

Many companies have developed large databases of customers’ information and send them promotional packages and special offers through text messages.  Enterprise solution software can assist businesses in sending mass marketing messages within a single click. In addition to being cost effective, this software may also turn out to be one of the most prompt ways of marketing and advertisement.

SMS Notifications

Distant marketing, such as mobile marketing through SMS or text messages, may not always receive as warm a welcome as a real time view of a product. Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) is a step toward two- dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) representation of products. An organization can send an MMS to its clients in order to present a better picture of its products.

Push Notifications

Push notifications constitute another type mobile marketing that is used globally.  Apple introduced this technology to its smartphones, and many companies later adopted it. Push notifications may be an efficient way to communicate with end-user customers. These notifications “pop up” as messages on clients’ mobile phones, informing clients of new events or developments in a phone application without their actually having to open up the relevant application.

Companies can benefit from the adoption of push notifications because this technology can allow them to alert customers or new products or discounts.  A push notification can also function as a “call to action” ad.  A push notification interrupts the user in the midst of whatever function he is using on his phone, such as surfing the Internet, and alerts him to a new development.  If the development appeals to him, he can then click on an embedded link and then visit the company’s application or website.

GeoLocation Marketing

Mobile marketing may have revolutionized marketing techniques, and the Global Positioning System (GPS) may have revolutionized mobile marketing.  GPS enables consumers to locate any business, restaurant, hotel, school, or hospital within few seconds. GPS may aid companies in capturing the attention of their target consumers. Location-Based Services (LBS) is another form of mobile marketing that can operate without GPS and send marketing messages to customers based on their location.

Considerations

One of the advantages of mobile marketing for an organization may be its ability to directly connect with its end-user customers. Using this technology effectively may yield favorable results for companies.  Many people consider their cell phones to be for their personal use and may become irritated by mobile marketing messages.  Companies that adopt a conscientious attitude towards customers’ privacy may reap more benefits from mobile marketing than companies who do not.

Contact us for your next Mobile Marketing Research project.