A Deep Dive into Tomorrow’s Mobile Marketing

For some time, the big thing about mobile devices has been the urgent warnings that responsive web design is an absolute must. Google was one of the main voices behind that message, and we agree. If your website did not recognize and respond to the user’s device—hint, especially a mobile device—it will not show well in search results.

It turns out that the mobile-friendly imperative is the leading edge of a bigger picture. And while responsive design is vital to the evolution of mobile marketing…get set…there’s more that you need to know.

Some mobile marketing snapshots from tomorrow...

Mobile subscriptions nearly exceed the number of people on the planet. “Some 6.9 billion people will have cellular subscriptions by the end of this year — or about 95 percent of the world’s population,” according to the International Telecommunications Union. This compares to about two billion active PC in the world, according to Forrester Research.

Although much of this growth is in emerging markets, this means that mobile advertising has a greater reach and penetration than online advertising. “For the first time mobile has overtaken desktop spending,” according to the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), “and the first time digital as a whole has passed TV ad spend.”

Waiting is a thing of the past. “Computer quick” has become a “mobile instant.” Google's Senior Vice President of Ads & Commerce, Sridhar Ramaswamy, tells us: “Consumers have become more empowered than ever to get what they want, when they want it.” This means: “For consumers and marketers alike, mobile has forced a rewriting of the rules. Consequently, mobile ads outperform online ads.

“That translates into today's pervasive micro-moment behavior—immediately turning to a device to know, go, do, and buy. To capitalize on that behavior and win over consumers, marketers have [to address] the needs of consumers in the moment. [In] raising the bar on mobile, to delight and be useful, we need to deliver fast, relevant and assistive experiences.

Mobile data empowers local/proximity advertising. Highly effective marketing has always been about getting inside the head of the consumer. With a mobile device in everyone’s pocket, insightful consumer data—often in real-time—reveals location, shopping/buying habits and is able to target select users with the right message, at the right time and at the right place. [business.com]

It’s not just smartphones…it’s smart other things also. Mobile devices—mainly smartphones—are ubiquitous. But this emerging consumer product world includes advertising-addressable wearable tech, home and auto personal assistants, Fitbit, Google Glass, Apple Watch, and other smart devices. All of these become present and future platforms for marketing and advertising.

It’s not the same old marketing screen…

The proliferation of mobile devices—mainly smartphones and tablets—have redefined how people interact with people. Individuals are rarely without their device, and they look at or interrogate the small screen hundreds of times each day.

Marketing professionals are, by necessity and by creativity, inventing new opportunities to deliver meaningful and assistive answers in near real-time. Our strengths include developing a comprehensive marketing plan--digital and traditional—for hospitals and healthcare providers. Let’s talk about how we can help you.