Everyone in the direct digital marketing/online/interactive/integrated marketing industry knows that mobile marketing is growing in importance. Certainly we have devoted a lot of pixels to that topic on The Lunch Pail. Between the growing adoption of various uses of the mobile device by consumers and the increasing trust of the mobile channel by marketers, mobile marketing is gaining ground both in scientifically focused metric marketing and awareness marketing that is more difficult to measure. In short, mobile appeals to every type of marketer and every type of consumer. For proof that marketers find it appealing, check out how marketing budgets are allocated for 2010.Like our own Bryce Marshall wrote in his acclaimed white paper, “Making Sense of Mobile Marketing,” the “mobile channel” offers a variety of different executions and communications opportunities. The spectrum of mobile marketing is beginning to come into better focus with the greatest reach and penetration opportunities in SMS programs and the best user experience residing in apps. But, another important aspect of mobile marketing is the increasing use of the mobile Web by consumers.
So, general excitement exists about mobile, but what is so great about the mobile Web? More than any other mobile marketing function, the mobile Web allows brands to make real transactions, anywhere, anytime. Mobile Commerce Daily writer Giselle Tsirulnik recently penned a wonderful breakdown of the marketing value of a mobile website for marketers looking to make a successful leap onto the mobile Web. While the mobile Web does not yet offer a great user experience – thanks mostly to mediocre (at best) mobile Web browsers – consumers who are engaged enough with a brand to overcome browsing pitfalls are ready to spend money.
The mobile Web puzzle has two primary pieces. First, a brand must offer enough value for consumers to get past the inherent inconvenience of browsing the mobile Web. In short, the content must be valuable. A mobile website can allow for comparison shopping, easily accessed offers, and the ability to check order status. If the information is valuable enough, the inconvenience will be neutralized.
Second, convenience is the name of the game to compensate for poor mobile browsers. Make shopping on the mobile device easy and understand what products are designed to sell well on the mobile Web. For example, an impulse buy makes sense whereas a big ticket item – given the browsing limitations – does not afford the customer enough information to pull the trigger on their phone.
