Mobile marketing is defined as a way of marketing products and services using a mobile device. This involves communicating with the customers by sending them simple text messages, enabling them to visit mobile website or familiarising them with new marketing campaign.
More precisely, mobile marketing is – “using interactive wireless media to provide customers with time and location sensitive, personalised information that promotes goods, services and ideas, thus generating value for all stakeholders”.
In general, mobile marketing is also refemd to as wireless marketing. conversely, it is not necessary that wireless is always mobile. For example, communication held between the company and a customer using a personal computer from his home over a Wireless Local Area Network (WEAN) or a satellite network may be considered as a wireless communication but not a mobile communication.
Forms/Types of Mobile Marketing
Following are the forms of mobile marketing that are frequently being used by online companies:
SMS/MMS/VMS: This type of mobile marketing is the most common and cost-effective way of communicating with the customers. For example, a restaurant chain can send SMS and MMS to its customers offering them discounts. These discounts can be availed by the customers, when they show the particular send message on arrival at the restaurant.
Mobile Applications: There are some mobile phones which have their own mobile applications to interact directly with the customers, e.g., Apple App Store on iPhones. These applications can be mostly installed free of cost by the users, while some applications are paid.
Mobile Games: Other than developing mobile apps, companies also design mobile games that are easily accessible by users. These games can be directly downloaded by the users. It also contains various pop-up messages inviting the users to visit the company’s website.
Mobile Banner Advertising: Banner ads are also designed for mobile phones. These mobile banner ads can be viewed by the users on the company’s mobile app which are mainly used to promote their products and services. These banner ads are priced in the same way as computer advertising, i.e., on Cost per Click (CPC) or Cost per Impression (CPM) basis.
Mobile Local Search: Customers use mobile search engines for locating their nearest store or Outlet in order to make their purchases, These search engines use GPS locator to find out the current location and show relevant sealx:h results. GPS locators are mainly embedded within all smartphones and iPhones.
Mobile Paid Search: The paid search on mobile phones is similar to computer search. The only difference is that the number of results showed on a mobile screen is limited to 4 while, 10 searches can be displayed on computer screens. Howewer, this method is only suitable when the company has a mobile-compatible site.
Strategic Drivers of Mobile Marketing
The strategic drivers of mobile marketing are:
Context: The user’s situation from which the contact is made—time, place, device (desktop or mobile)
Localisation: The physical location from which the user is making contact.
Personalisation: The relevant content—a coupon for the store in the mall that the user is passing at the moment.
Growth of Social Networks: The social networks which are available on mobile devices and make it easy to communicate, share, and shop.
Time Sensitivity: the time at which contact is being made—the coupon should be offered when the user is near the store, not before or after.
High Value: The value of the content to the user – the coupon must be of sufficient value to cause the user to consider entering the store and redeeming it.
Voice Activation: The user should be able to activate the device without having to use the keyboard in applications like on board automobile systems.
One-click Payment: These types of payment are onerous in desktop applications, much less small mobile keyboards and screens. Payment mechanisms should be specified in advance and stored for later use.
Security: Security must be strong and apparent to the user in order to create trustworthy systems.
Privacy: The privacy opportunities for capture of data (GPS data, for example) are even greater with mobile systems and protection of user privacy becomes even more important.
Expanded Permission Marketing: It is no longer sufficient to ask if the marketer may capture and use data. It becomes imperative to ask how the user wants to be contacted, how often, and for what reasons.
Importance of Mobile Marketing
Various points highlighting the importance Of mobile marketing are as follows:
Instant Results: Most Of the time, users Caro’ their mobile phones with them. They receive messages as soon as it is sent. And if the mobile phone is off or on standby mode, user will receive the message as the phone is turned on. Therefore, it is beneficial for marketer to use mobile marketing in order to get instant results.
Easy to Work With: The message content for mobile phones can be designed easily and economically. It can be in form Of text, images Or videos. Through mobile phones, users can also subscribe for various promotional and marketing incentive services. This information can be viewed by users at any time and place on their phones.
Convenient to Use: It is very convenient for the marketer to design messages for mobile phones. The messages need to be simple and precise as mobile phones have small screens and different operating systems.
Direct Marketing: In mobile marketing, mobile operators can directly interact with the users. They can also ask questions and receive immediate feedback on mobile phones. Not only this, it also helps the marketer to know their preference better and provide customised services as per their requirement.
Huge Viral Potential: Generally, mobile users share their messages with family and friends which becomes viral. This proves to be advantageous for companies, as users Widely share messages which give more coverage to companies without conducting any additional marketing campaigns.
Mass Communication: Almost every individual possesses a mobile phone than a PC or a laptop. This enables the marketer to reach each and every customer worldwide irrespective of geographical boundaries, especially in remote areas. It also allows the marketers to send location-based messages to users with the help of GPS and Bluetooth technology.
Niche Market: Presently, mobile marketing is a niche market and is still been explored by various marketers. It is the most appropriate promotional method for new marketers. Mobile marketing offers a better chance of success for emerging marketers.
Mobile payments: Nowadays, mobile payment facilities are considered more safe and convenient mode than other traditional methods of payments. It is a secure online payment gateway is provided to users which work under advanced mobile web systems. A user can pay purchase bills online without any exchange of physical currency.