Four key ways businesses can leverage mobile trends

Two-thirds of organisations are yet to integrate mobile into their marketing strategies, according to a new study, which highlights ways in which marketers can achieve mobile best practice.

The findings, which come from Responsys’ first Cross-Channel Marketing Report in partnership with Econsultancy, provide a snapshot of how companies are integrating mobile into their cross-channel marketing and advertising campaigns.

Responsys, which is based in the United States, helps brands execute campaigns across key digital channels.

A total of 650 marketers from around the world participated in the study. Of these, 8% were from the Asia-Pacific, although it’s unknown how many were from Australia.

The report shows just 35% of companies use the mobile web, while even fewer (31%) use mobile apps as part of their marketing efforts.

Alarmingly, more than half (51%) of marketers have no strategy for integrating mobile into the marketing mix, while 35% admit their strategy is “very basic”.

Simon O’Day, vice president of Responsys for the Asia-Pacific, says given the high level of smartphone penetration in Australia, many marketers are “missing a trick” with regard to mobile.

The report shows 50% of companies are using QR codes to encourage consumer interaction, while 29% are using mCommerce and 29% are using mobile-optimised email. However, only 17% are using location-based marketing.

According to O’Day, geo-targeting will become a huge growth area for marketers over the next few years.

“We are already seeing brands successfully using social data to profile and target consumers on Facebook with significant results. It’s an exciting time for marketers,” O’Day says.

The report highlights ways in which marketers can achieve mobile best practice:

1. Optimise content for mobile

Marketers need to test content on a variety of platforms and devices to ensure it can be displayed and viewed correctly regardless of where it is accessed.

2. Be device-savvy

Consumers now browse the internet and access emails on different devices at different times of the day.

Smartphones are most likely to be used in the morning, desktop computers during business hours, and tablets at the weekend.

Marketers need to consider the time they are sending out their messages to ensure they are compatible with the device it is most likely to be viewed on.

3. Consider time scales

Marketers looking to communicate with their customers through mobile need to think about how much time they have.

For instance, when developing apps, marketers need to account for development time and external approval time.

For quick turnaround campaigns, other mobile channels such as MMS and geo-targeting will be more effective.

4. Keep abreast of new developments

Mobile is the most constantly evolving platform. Marketers should be open to experimenting and trying different mobile channels for different campaigns.

Investing in a variety of tactics will allow consumer engagement levels to be compared and contrasted, and campaigns can then be perfected for optimum results.