Let’s talk about a few different options your association can use to enhance the way it already does its mobile marketing. Pick and choose whatever methods fit your association best, or even use them all to your advantage.
Mobile device use has been exploding at an alarming pace, and it doesn’t look like there’s a sign of it stopping. In fact, 2018 internet trends reported by Mary Meeker state that more than half of all internet use is done through a mobile device. On top of that, a recent survey conducted by Adweek found that more than five hours a day are spent on a smartphone.
That’s right, five hours every day spent browsing the internet, viewing video content, and anything else that users find relative- which could include finding out more about your association. If you haven’t figured out already, having a mobile marketing strategy is almost a necessity these days. Your association should always be looking for new, innovative ways to reach the average mobile user with smart marketing messages. But if you’re a bit lost on how to optimize your mobile marketing strategy, there are a few ways to get you on the right track.
Let’s talk about a few different options your association can use to enhance the way it already does its mobile marketing (or, ways to get you started on a mobile marketing path). You can pick and choose whatever methods fit your association best, or even use them all to your advantage. In any case, don’t let your association fall behind when marketing to mobile audiences.
When further analyzing and coming up with a new strategy for anything your association does, it’s always good to go back to the roots of the issue and get a better understanding of the most basic parts- even with mobile marketing. So, let’s take a look at the very basics of what mobile marketing is. From Marketo, mobile marketing is a “multi-channel, digital marketing strategy aimed at reaching a target audience on their smartphones, tablets, and/or other mobile devices”.
In other words, mobile marketing allows you to market your association on any online platform possible- most specifically, on mobile devices. You can use various platforms as well, from more traditional options like email and websites, to other modern platforms like text messages, apps, social media, and much more. It gives your ultimate flexibility to test out and experiment with any type of marketing message you choose to produce- and all in the convenience of a mobile device.
With 80% of internet users owning a smartphone, having a firm grasp on mobile marketing is essential for any association looking to reach its entire target audience. So, now that we have a more basic understanding of what mobile marketing is and what it can do for your association, let’s dive into some common practices you can adopt and use to enhance your own strategy.
Your association’s digital marketing efforts can bring in a lot of new prospective members and customers through online sources. But if these marketing materials aren’t made mobile-friendly, you’re wasting a plethora of highly effective ads on just one platform. Websites, email campaigns, downloadable content, and any other material should be adapted and turned into a mobile-friendly piece of content. While a piece of content can read well on a desktop device, it may come across confusing, too large, and almost impossible to view on a mobile device, completely wiping out any chance to appeal to mobile users.
Similarly, you want to make sure your digital marketing materials work well with Google and other search engines when converting to mobile. With Google’s “mobile-first” indexing strategy, you want your mobile sites and content to perform perfectly if you want it ranked higher on search engines. No matter you’re approach to the mobile marketing world, making your currently existing web content mobile-friendly is the fast track to better mobile marketing for your association.
Mobile marketing is obviously a valuable asset, but if your tech tools and strategy can’t keep up with the fast paced mobile world, you’ll come in last in the mobile marketing race. Mobile load times and speed are a lot different than desktop/traditional online sources. And while you may have the best in technology to keep up with traditional sources, newer mobile platforms might throw your association’s marketing strategy for a loop. According to Google, lower load times really make quite the difference.
In fact, when the load time on a mobile page increased from one second to five, the bounce rate on that page went up by 90%. Yes, in just four seconds, your association has the potential to lose almost all of its mobile users. To avoid this happening, you’ll need to pay close attention to your mobile marketing infrastructure. You want to have technology that will make slow load time a thing of the past. You also want to be sure that whatever mobile marketing tools you use, be it apps and/ or websites, you’re mobile presence is a secure network for any potential audience member. There are many ways to do this, from private connectivity software to secured mobile apps. With the right technology at your hands, you can create a quick, easy, and safe way to get your mobile marketing message across.
With any type of marketing, creating unique and innovative marketing materials can help you get the attention from target audiences that you’re looking for. With the mobile world being so vast and so advanced, there are a million ways to market. You can create mobile ads, provide mobile-exclusive content, even make interactive marketing campaigns to get your audience engaged with your association and its mission. The list is seemingly endless if you have the right motivation and imagination behind it.
For example, let’s take a look at Mazda’s approach to mobile marketing with their campaign against distracted driving. The campaign works to imitate a car crash right on user’s phone screens, then simulating cracked glass to mimic the effect of a car crash due to distracted driving. A powerful mobile ad, it works in a creative way to make people more aware of the danger they could cause by scrolling on their phone screens and driving. If your association is looking for a more subtle approach, it can create social media ads that still use creativity.
Think about the audience you’re targeting, what they like, and where they hang out on their mobile devices. Then, use this information to craft up a mobile ad that will really get them to stop and pay attention. Mobile marketing doesn’t have to be hard, but it should always be advanced. Use these 3 tips to enhance your association’s own mobile marketing strategy and attract more attention from potential members.
