7 Mobile Web Marketing Tactics

With the number of users accessing the mobile web expanding quickly, marketers need to incorporate or, at a minimum, test new tactics to ensure that they’re present when and where their prospects and customers are.  Since consumers use the mobile web as a reference tool when they’re out and about to check purchase options, prices and locations, the mobile web marketing is necessary for both online and brick and mortar retailers.

Here are seven options to consider:

  1. Offer marketing e-mails designed to be easy-to-read on small screen mobile phones. Mobile recipients often read e-mail between other activities, so they’re skimming, looking for high priority items, and want to handle requests quickly. To help them, use a consistent “from” name to ensure that readers know who you are; keep subject lines to 15 characters or less; make content easily scannable; and include a call-to-action with your phone number, e-mail address, or URL.
  2. Send targeted SMS or text messages. Since text messages can break-through, it’s a good idea to build an opt-in database of your prospects and customers’ mobile phone numbers. Permission is critical since users may have to pay to receive text messages making unwanted messages onerous.
  3. Know that customers and fans access and interact with social media via the mobile web. According to comScore research one in nine users accesses a social network from their mobile phone; and for smart phone owners, the percentage increases to three in ten users who access social media via a mobile browser. As a result, your social media engagement presence must be able to react appropriately to customers on the go with location sensitive, relevant information.
  4. Develop a mobile website to help users find you. Remember that customers may be on the move when they look for you via a mobile device so include time and location critical information like phone number, store hours, and address. To this end, vanity short codes can be useful.
  5. Show up on mobile search engines. Mobile search grew 102 percent in 2009 according to Nielsen tracking. Bid for mobile terms separately and know that the search engines can distinguish by type of handset used. Link to a separate mobile website and provide targeted mobile promotions.
  6. Create useful mobile phone applications (aka apps), either free or paid. The goal is to provide useful information that consumers need and/or games and/or entertainment that engages consumers to help them fill spare moments when they’re between other activities. These apps can be used to drive traffic, aid purchase, and increase branding.
  7. Use mobile web or phones for transactions and confirmations. Currently mobile phones can be used for mobile banking and ticket delivery.  Over time this will expand. Consider the potential for alternative payment options like iTunes.

With these seven options, it’s important not just to show up but to have content that’s tailored to specific mobile devices. Also, you mobile content and communications should take into consideration that users are getting this information in small time spurts, when their time and attention are limited and they may be on a slow wireless connection. Mobile marketing give you an opportunity to reach early adopters before the mobile marketplace reaches the same saturation point as other medioa forums.

For more insights on the mobile web, please read “Follow Your Customers to the Mobile Web.”

Happy marketing,

Heidi Cohen


Photo credit: desbyrnephotos via Flickr

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