If you thought the popularity of cell phones was going to slow down, think again. Recently, mobile management and applications made Gartner's top 10 technology trends for 2014 list and Advertising Week (AdWeek) dedicated a panel on how agencies can succeed in the mobile marketplace. It's no coincidence that SMS marketing and other smartphone programs are gaining traction.
One issue panelists at AdWeek discussed has been an ongoing issue for many companies: businesses are not providing a mobile, user-friendly experience for their customers. Not developing two different interfaces can potentially prevent customers from making a purchase because they may not have the capabilities to do so.
"A lot of brands are forgetting that mobile Web experience, that engagement to create that one-on-one marketing opportunity," OMD mobile director Joao Machado told AdWeek. "That's where we see some of these mistakes still being made. And it's our job to educate, to make sure content being discoverable is first and foremost, before we start running the display or any other marketing."
Machado makes an important point because recently, mobile advertising reached the $20 billion mark, but how effective are these advertisements if the web pages cannot fully operate on smartphone programs? Within the first half of 2013, mobile advertising saw a 145 percent growth in comparison to this same time last year.
Despite the success of this industry, a study from Pure 360 found that individuals spend a large portion of their time text messaging.
Companies can make a larger impression on their targeted audience with a text messaging service because it is simple and straight to the point. If a retailer has a user-friendly, mobile-optimized website, they can include a shortened link in the text message.
The only way organizations can truly succeed in a competitive mobile market is if their services can tailor to their phones. Cell phones are meant to simplify and expedite daily tasks after all.
"At the end of the day, think about how you use your phone," Craig Weinberg, mobile practice lead at Mindshare also explained. "Are you going to want to be intruded with ads and things that don't make sense and don't offer you some kind of utility or entertainment value?"
Businesses that want to stay ahead of the mobile market but create a lasting impression on their targeted client basis should consider an SMS service. Swift SMS Gateway has the tools to help organizations get their strategy started.
