Posts Tagged ‘Mobile Advertising’

Top Mobile Advertising Predictions for 2010

June 28th, 2010 1 Comment

A recent article in Advertising Age magazine outlines the top 5 predictions for Mobile Advertising in 2010. This interesting predictions will effect every aspect of marketing a business, whether it’s a local auto shop or a fortune 500 big wig. Here are the top 5 predictions from Adage, along with ideas on how you can be proactive with your advertising plan to include mobile media.

Mobile Advertising will Revolutionize how local advertisers connect with customers- Location based advertising, which is offers/search results targeted to a customer’s actual location is on the rise. In fact, Google now offers a service to local businesses called Place Pages, where customers can scan a QR Code (a decal that looks much like a bar code placed on your establishment’s window) with their mobile phone and instantly gain access to coupons, reviews, and specials. They can also “star” your place, which saves you info in their phone so they can visit later.  Local businesses should be sure to have a fully optimized mobile website, that is listed in every mobile directory to ensure they are appearing in mobile searches. The potential that mobile advertising presents local businesses is huge.

Further adoption of in-store shopping applications- In store shopping applications are going to make mobile a significant part of the decision making process in retail stores. Here’s how: There are several price comparison apps that allow consumers to compare prices (other retail store prices and online prices) on items while they are literally looking at them on the shelves. There are also applications where consumers can see reviews of products and services. Lastly, mobile coupons are starting to really take off, meaning you can drive foot traffic to your store via mobile device. The best way to make mobile technology work well for you is to have a strong mobile presence, with not only an optimized website, but also an active mobile social media presence. Build a strong opt-in list and send valuable coupons to your customers regularly.

Outdoor Advertising will become Measurable- By driving consumers to text on outdoor ads like billboards or window signage, companies will be able to get a solid read on results almost immediately. With the capabilities of mobile advertising, tracking results is as easy as counting texts, computing conversion rates, and calculating cost per order. Plus, often texting is a more attractive option  than calling to the mobile consumer, as they are likely to be on-the-go and would rather have a quick, to the point interaction.  The next outdoor campaign you have, try driving texts instead of visits or calls. Consumers can text to receive a coupon from you or be admitted to a special event or sale.

Social Media will be more important than ever- With mobile media, consumers have the ability to voice their opinions in real time. People are using mobile versions of social media sites like Twitter to instantly voice their opinions on products and services as they encounter them. Again, it is extremely important to have a strong social media presence in the mobile sphere. Some companies are even creating platforms specifically for consumers to comment on. For example, a taxi company in New York City has an app that allows users to comment on taxi service in real time. Whatever you choose to do, make sure you are present and are interacting with your customers frequently via mobile device. A great way to keep your mobile media organized is with the Mowbi Platform. One of the neat features of the  free one page website is links to all of your social media networks all in one place. Your blog, Twitter, Facebook, etc. are literally at your (and your customer’s) finger tips. For more information about Mowbi call 1-800-985-9277 or e-mail Bill@mowbi.com or Jordan@mowbi.com

Posted in Mobile Commerce Tags: , , , , ,

Top 5 Text Marketing Tips

May 8th, 2010 No Comments

One of the many excellent options available via Mobile Marketing is Text Marketing, or SMS (short message service). According to the New York Times, 97% of all SMS messages sent to consumers were opened in 2009. 83% of these messages were opened within an hour of being received. Right now is a great time to begin a Text Marketing campaign because the mobile channel is virtually clutter-free and hasn’t be over-run with spammers. Here are the Top 5 tips for running a successful Text Marketing campaign:

1. Choose the right service provider- While Text Marketing is still getting it’s legs, there are industry standards that must be followed. For instance, automated dialers (that hack into national SMS structure and blast messages to thousands of consumers) are to be avoided. Hiring a service that employs this kind of tactic for your business can result in stiff penalties, and could cause you to be blacklisted in the mobile sphere. Text Marketing can be a powerful marketing tool. Put your best foot forward by hiring a reputable company to get your campaign off the ground. Give App Publishing a call at 800-985-9277 or e-mail  jordan@mowbi.com to discuss how we can help you launch a successful mobile marketing campaign.

2. Use Traditional Marketing- You can supplement your Text Marketing campaign using traditional channels such as print, or outdoor signage. Macy’s and drugstore giant CVS both have used print and display ads to drive mobile traffic. When using traditional media to drive texts, be sure to make the call to action extremely clear, with the text displayed prominently. The text number itself should be short, memorable, and one of your mobile keywords.

3. Build Relationships- Don’t use Text Marketing as a one-shot blast and disappear. You’ll miss out on the true opportunities that text marketing presents and you won’t grow your opt in list. Instead, use Text Marketing to build relationships with your customers. Send them valuable coupons, and notices. Armani , a large national retailer was able to effectively intergrate text marketing into their brand identity. Their SMS text information is displayed right next to their name and logo. They send valuable coupons to their opt in list, and they recently had an exclusive sale for their text message customers only. They are using text marketing to build a culture around their brand. This is the kind of relationship building you should be thinking of, when planning your Text Marketing campaign.

4. Always Remain Professional- With  new technology like text marketing and mobile commerce, it can be tempting to tailor messages to a youthful audience. Even if your company’s demo skews younger, do not make the mistake of using slang or teenage texting ”shorthand” (words like, gr8 , 4u, lol, etc). Business’s such as Adidas have found that consumers are wary of text messages that use this kind of language. Your text marketing campaign can be playful and fun (if that messaging works with your audience), but it should always present your company in a professional, legitimate light.

5. Make it Enticing- If you’re using traditional media to drive mobile traffic, or if you’re sending SMS messages out asking for clicks or click-to-calls, it is extremely important to give your audience a compelling reason to take action. The first thing your customer will think when they receive your WXYZ marketing text is WIIFM- What’s In it For Me? The best incentive for most consumers is a free offer. This is often the dance of a successful text marketing campaign- you give the consumer something for free and in exchange, they agree to receive text marketing messages from you (ie, they opt-in). Do not under estimate the power of a free offer. Yes,  joining the opt in list to your favorite local pizza place for sales updates is nice and maybe you’ll get around to doing it next time they text. But if that same pizza place is going to give you  free breadsticks if you opt in NOW and this offer expires at 3pm today- you’re likely to get around to that opt in list a lot more quickly. Just like with any traditional call to action, text marketing messages must have a strong offer. And what do consumers like better than free?

Call us at 800-985-9277 to give your Text Marketing initiatives a strong start. We’d love to discuss your mobile marketing ideas live. Ask how to get your Free Demo- We’ll show you exactly how mobile marketing can increase your company’s bottom line- The demo is absolutely free, so there’s nothing to lose. Call 1-800-985-9277 or e-mail bill@mowbi.com or jordan@mowbi.com.

Posted in Mobile Commerce Tags: , , , , ,

Advertising Tips for Mobile Commerce

May 4th, 2010 No Comments

Our past posts have discussed mobile commerce and mobile marketing as a whole, from pricing, placement, and promotion standpoints. Here are a few great tips for strictly for advertising on a mobile scale.

Have a strong call to action- It is important to have a strong CTA no matter what media channel, but it is absolutely crucial to have a strong, clear, easy to follow call to action as a part of any mobile advertising campaign. Direct listeners to call, click, or stop by “today”. Put a limited time aspect in the mix, such as, “offer ends Friday” or “limited to the first 50 visitors”. Make the action needed to complete the sale as easy and as clear as possible- and also make sure you express why it is important to act right now.

Micro Target- One of the great aspects of mobile marketing is the ability to heavily target your audience to deliver a powerful message that is streamlined to a particular demographic. When creating mobile advertisements, be sure to take advantage of the ability to reach very specific demographics. You can create an ad targeting middle aged women in New York City who are two blocks from Macy’s at noon. You can create a mobile message for college aged men in Texas who are in downtown Dallas at 8pm on any given Friday night. You have the ability to speak to very specific target audiences- make sure your copy and design does this effectively.

Keep Copy Concise-Smart phone screens are much smaller than a stationary PC, Print Ad or Billboard, so it goes without saying- you’re working with limited space. Also, consumers who are receiving messages via mobile device, are likely to be on-the-go, meaning they do not have time to read through a lengthy SMS or mobile e-mail blast. It is important to keep your advertising copy short, pithy, and to the point (in most cases, the “point” will be the offer and the CTA).

Be Creative- Just because you’re working on a smaller screen, doesn’t mean that consumers will expect anything less in the creativity department. Mobile commerce websites have the capability to be full color, interactive, rich, and interactive. Take advantage of everything a mobile commerce site or advertisement can be with help from a pro if needed. While the potential to make an impression is still great, as more companies come on board, mobile clutter will be just as hard to break through as it is with any other medium. Have a great idea for a mobile app or mobile commerce site?   Call us at 800-985-9277 to discuss your ideas or e-mail bill@mowbi.com or jordan@mowbi.com

Posted in Mobile Commerce Tags: , , ,

Measuring Success from your Mobile Marketing Campaign

May 2nd, 2010 No Comments

A well known benefit of Mobile Commerce is that it allows for marketers to reach audiences on a micro-targeted level. Yet, companies should not forget that another great aspect of mobile marketing and mobile advertising is the ability to track detailed results per campaign. The ability to track response not only gives you an idea of a message or offers effectiveness; it also can give you insight on your audience, offers, price points, and the overall messaging strategy. Being able to send advertising messages that are heavily targeted with measurable results is immensely important to any marketing campaign.

Here are a few ways to measure response from your mobile marketing efforts:

Direct Response (DR) Metrics- These are metrics that you are likely already familiar with like CPC, Click-through Rate and Impressions Rendered. You can also track response by conversion rate, opt-in rate, and Click-to Call rate. No matter which DR metric you use to measure success of your mobile campaign, it’s good to know that most mobile advertisements have been proven to generate a much higher click through rate than traditional internet ads or email advertising.

Branding Metrics- These are metrics that measure results such as brand recall, overall awareness of your advertising message, and future intent to purchase. An important mobile advertising method for a branding campaign is texting- the opportunity for reach is huge. Almost every mobile phone can receive text messages, so you can open your market to everyone in the United States with a mobile phone. With text you’ll be able to cultivate and build a valuable list that can yield profitable and measurable results.

Give us a call at 1-800-985-9277 to discuss how we can help bring success to your mobile commerce efforts. Our innovative applications will put everything from text message marketing to mobile social media, to a full blown mobile commerce site literally at your fingertips (at rates so reasonable, you need to hear them yourself to believe) Call 1-800-985-9277 today to take advantage of the unique mcommerce opportunities.

Posted in Mobile Commerce Tags: , , , , , ,
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