Ultimate Guide to Mobile Marketing in 2024 (+ Tips & Tricks!)

If you're a marketer, you know that mobile marketing is hot for mobile eCommerce — full stop!

And with mobile usage continuing to skyrocket, the mobile market is only getting bigger.

Everyone is constantly checking their phones (you’re probably on your mobile phone right now), and if you’re dying to cash in on that huge amount of mobile action, this blog post is for you.

We’re going to help you understand how to use effective mobile marketing methods so you can create your own mobile marketing campaign strategy for your business and your customers.

What Is Mobile Marketing?

Mobile marketing is a digital marketing strategy aimed at mobile device users — marketing targeted to people who use mobile phones and tablets.

So, basically, everyone.

Given the insane amount of time people spend on their mobiles (around 5 hours a day on average), it makes sense to use a mobile marketing strategy to reach more people than traditional marketing methods (like desktop, print, radio, and TV).

Additionally, the ability to easily shop, order, and pay for services and products on mobiles makes mobile marketing even more powerful and valuable.

How Mobile Marketing Can Help Solve Common Problems

Mobile marketing expands your marketing strategy by reaching a wider audience, especially if your audience is searching for what you offer on a mobile device.

If your website is mobile responsive, that already helps the mobile user experience, making your information easy to read and navigate on a mobile device.

There are easy ways to solve this problem if it isn’t, such as using plugins or a responsive theme on your website.

Mobile marketing also increases your conversion rates because you’re making it that much easier and “instant” for a customer to buy what they are looking for from you.

It’s effectively monopolizing the instant gratification factor while your target audience is on their mobile devices.

Why Mobile Marketing?

If your customers own mobile devices and use them (who doesn’t?), your business desperately needs a mobile marketing strategy, or you will lose out to your competitors.

Check out some of these mobile marketing statistics for more reasons to use a mobile marketing strategy:

• The number of people who use mobile devices only will increase to 55.7 million (nearly 19%) by 2022.
• Up to 79% of smartphone users keep their phones at hand for at least 22 out of 24 hours and check them over 50 times a day.
• U.N. data analysts say that 71.5% of people aged 13 and older have smartphones in the US.
• Over 80% of people worldwide have smartphones, and there are currently 8.15 billion mobile subscriptions.
• People spend 80% of their time on their phones using apps, especially game apps.
• About 70% of web pages are browsed or read on tablets rather than smartphones.
• On average, retail conversion rates are 2.2% on tablets, compared to 0.7% on smartphones.
• Mobile searches have increased 200% per year since 2012 and will surpass desktop.

See? If you’re not using mobile marketing, you’re missing out on a LOT of customer engagement and a LOT of money!

Let’s look at different types of mobile marketing you can use.

Types of Mobile Marketing

1. Websites

This is a good place to start as you probably have a website already.

The only catch here is that your website needs to be easy to view on a mobile device since that’s where most of your views will come from, and mobile-friendly navigation is key.

2. SMS & MMS messages

SMS and MMS messages — also known as plain old text messages and mixed media messages — are among the most direct digital marketing methods, landing in your viewer’s inbox on their phone.

The immediacy of SMS marketing is almost irresistibly compelling.

Who can avoid having to clear those push notifications on their phone? SMS marketing is old-school nowadays, but still a valid tool.

3. Landing pages

Landing pages for traditional sales funnels typically have long-form copy going into all the details of your special offer.

To build a mobile-friendly landing page, shorten your headlines, and optimize all the content for mobile-friendly viewing, or you will miss out on a huge amount of conversions.

Every link or call to action in your mobile landing page must be clickable and go to a mobile-friendly page, and the steps to complete a sale or subscription must be short and simple.

4. In-game marketing

Gaming apps are by far the most popular on mobile devices, providing another lucrative marketing opportunity.

You can set ads to appear within mobile games in a pop-up form, full-page images, or even short video ads that come up periodically.

Again, make sure that the page users land on when clicking on your mobile ad is mobile-friendly!

5. Apps

Since most mobile users are using apps on their devices, it makes sense to use this to your advantage by either developing a mobile app for your site or business or using apps as part of your mobile advertising strategy.

Apps can show your ads to users, giving you extra publicity while users are active on their phones. It only takes one click through to take them to your offer!

6. MarTech

Mobile apps are a competitive space since most consumers have anywhere between 50 to 100 apps on their devices but use many of them only once or twice.

Use mobile marketing automation to keep driving mobile app digital downloads, installs, and app improvements, which will help you boost mobile app usage, user retention, and monetization.

7. QR codes

QR stands for “quick response.” QR codes are another fantastic marketing tool for mobile marketing because they enable you to store and transmit lots of data quickly, without slowing down the browsing on a mobile device.

It works just like an ad — the user clicks on the code and is redirected to your mobile website or landing page.

You can use a mobile platform like Kaywa to generate QR codes.

8. Location-based

Mobile users are almost always specific in their online searches, including location — searches for products or services in their area.

This makes location-based mobile marketing another essential marketing tool in your arsenal.

List your business on Google My Business to boost overall mobile search traffic and make it easy for mobile and desktop users to find you.

ROI of Mobile Marketing

The return on investment you will get from mobile marketing depends on how much you implement it, but the beauty of it is that you are sure to benefit from it if you utilize mobile marketing correctly.

It’s one of the most reliable ways to get a definite and almost immediate increase in revenue because mobile users are “hot” buyers, actively searching to buy.

According to Google, at least 50% of B2B searches are done on smartphones, and that number will only go up.

Almost two-thirds of B2B buyers did so using a mobile device in the process.

Mobile Marketing Tips & Tricks

You’re probably itching to get started on implementing mobile marketing, right? Work your way through this checklist, and you’ll be set to cash in!

1. Optimize your site for mobile

You need to optimize your website for mobile browsing so that potential customers don’t need to scroll down or zoom in to read the content.

Minimize — but optimize — all images and videos on your site for mobile so that they load quickly, and make sure your content is concise and gets to the point.

2. Create buyer personas

One of the key principles of effective marketing is understanding exactly who your buyer is.

To help with this, create a buyer persona — a profile of your ideal buyer that describes their background, job description, demographics, interests, buying process, etc.

Develop, test, and optimize your content marketing accordingly.

(Pro Tip: To define your ideal target market, use our guide to marketing segmentation.)

3. Pinpoint your mobile marketing goals

Before you run away with implementing all these tips, get clear on exactly what you want to accomplish.

Set specific and measurable marketing goals for your marketing that include the what, how, when, why, and where of your process.

This will help you determine how successful you are once you get going.

4. Make sure your content is mobile-friendly

Mobile-friendly content is about more than just the user’s navigation experience.

It’s also about keeping in mind that mobile users search using shorter keyword phrases to find your content.

Create your content accordingly with shorter headlines to optimize it for search engines.

Think about how you phrase keywords when searching for a digital product or service on your mobile device.

5. Use mobile ads to increase brand awareness

Mobile ads are another sure-fire way to increase brand awareness because, again, you’re looking to grab the attention of a user who’s already browsing with buying intent.

Build brand loyalty by crafting mobile ads to use on social media platforms.

Track and test, then optimize what works.

6. Use Google My Business for local mobile marketing

Local customers are often searching for a product or service in their area, so you can optimize your business to be found in these searches too.

Simply use your Google account to list your business on Google My Business to attract local customers and see an increase in mobile traffic, leads, and sales.

7. Leverage SMS messages

Another solid digital marketing strategy is short message service marketing (aka SMS marketing).

Use SMS messages to get customers to subscribe to notifications and send special offers, promotions, and mobile-friendly coupon codes via text message to increase buy-in.

The more interactive, trackable, and personal you make your SMS message, the better the digital engagement for both you and the customer.

It’s an opportunity to target the right audience in a specific, direct way.

8. Focus on your site navigation

User-friendly site navigation is easily overlooked and can cost you traffic and conversions.

Aside from making sure your site is mobile-friendly, your content also needs to be laid out in a way that makes it super easy and quick for users to find the information/product they are looking for. Simplicity is king!

9. Personalize your mobile marketing

Customers who have buying intent look for content and information they can relate to what they are already experiencing, struggling with, or looking to solve.

Personalize your marketing to answer these needs by using storytelling, pictures that show your product or service in action, and remember to include reviews from loyal customers.

(Want to see those conversion rates skyrocket? Add gamification to your marketing strategy!)

10. Use QR codes

These weird-looking little code blocks are so handy because they allow your customer to access a lot of digital data quickly.

Use this to your advantage if you’re selling a product or service that requires a lot of content to explain its benefits and features.

This will help you keep your website speed fast and give your customers instant access to the answers they want.

11. Create a mobile app for your business

Most people using a mobile device are either viewing a website or using an app or using the former to do the latter or playing games.

There could be room for your business to have a mobile app, too.

Consider creating a downloadable mobile app for your business to get more attention, interaction, and feedback from your customers.

12. Use social media for your mobile marketing

Social media is one of the most-used platforms on mobile devices, making it essential to develop your social media marketing content with that in mind.

Make it easy for customers to find your content and offers on social media and interact with shares, likes, comments, and purchasing. Create content that engages your customers, and you’ll get plenty of sales.

13. Optimize email marketing for mobile

Most mobile device users tend to read their emails on their phones, so keep this in mind when writing emails to your subscribers.

Again, simplicity is king. Get to the point and make it easy for readers to interact, click, and get your offers.

Email marketing is more personal than social media, so keep that in mind, too.

14. Show love for your PC users

Don’t forget about your PC users; they are still a significantly large crowd!

Make sure your site and landing pages are optimized for viewing on PCs as well.

You can have more content for PC users, but don’t add content unless it truly adds value to what you’re saying or offering.

15. Implement real-time analytics

Remember when you set your mobile marketing goals earlier?

Track the progress on your goals by real-time tracking with marketing analytics.

Some plugins and apps help you target the most relevant keywords for your business and improve conversions.

Track the most effective parts of your digital marketing strategy and then maximize them.

16. Use more than one mobile marketing strategy

You can only benefit from using multiple mobile marketing methods such as social media, mobile ads, mobile-friendly content, local marketing, etc.

Start with the most urgent ones, then add other methods as you are able.

Create a process for implementing a multi-channel digital marketing strategy over time, and you’ll increase revenue more easily.

Guarantee Your Business Growth with Mobile Marketing

Thanks to mobile technology, it’s getting easier and easier for mobile marketers (albeit more competitive) to implement a mobile marketing strategy.

Remember, start with defining your ideal customer, and then test, target, and tweak your marketing content in all the above strategies accordingly.

There are customers out there in every strategy mentioned above, just waiting to discover what you offer.

Go get ‘em!