Improving the experience that you give mobile users is the key to a successful mobile marketing strategy.
Every tool that you use as an online marketer−content marketing, SEO,
marketing automation software−should address mobile. Online marketers can take advantage of new tools that only a mobile strategy provides such as text messaging campaigns and Quick Response Codes.
But the ultimate key to mobile success is giving users an easy, pleasant experience encompassing everything mobile devices offer so that customers can interact with your brand.
Avoid frustrating your customer.
Make responsive design a priority. The starting point is providing a responsive website. Make sure your website, email platform and blog are optimized for mobile, and Google will reward you with higher search results positioning. If you fail to get on board with responsive design, your website and your message will fall to the bottom of the pack.
Your website design must load pages quickly and your site must work on all platforms. Responsive design takes the mobile customer right to the page where they can take advantage of your promoted offer. Avoid giving mobile users an error page and make sure your website design sends them to the right URL.
Responsive design makes shopping from phones or iPads as easy as shopping from desktops. Users are more likely to convert and follow through when your website gives them a consistent experience between their desktop and mobile.
Use your own tablet and smartphone to check the ease of use and flow of themes and templates on mobile devices.
Test to make sure your theme or template supports account logins, shopping carts, on-site search and comparison tools.
Avoid software that most mobile devices won’t support such as Adobe Flash. Make sure everything translates properly by eliminating pop-ups and JavaScript from landing pages. Then take the experience a step higher by giving mobile users a dynamic website that offers display and content that differs from your desktop design and content.
Mobile strategy boosts your rewards and promotions. Remember that customers love promotions and rewards and use mobile strategies to give them those deals. Quick Response Codes are popular with smartphone users who scan the code to go to content offering promotions and rewards. There are online tools that make it easy for you to devise a Quick Response Code for your business. Text messaging campaigns can alert opt-in customers to your latest deals. You can use the information that mobile devices provide about users to make your rewards and promotions available to them in real time. Mobile data is more accurate that desktop data, and you can use it quickly. Take advantage of geolocation data to offer customers near your store new deals and rewards available only to mobile users.
Studying Google Mobile Analytics reveals how you can target more mobile users. To find out what actions mobile users take after viewing your website or app, you can use a mobile analytic tool like Mixpanel. Go after local customers by making the most of Google’s local search capability. Make sure you take full advantage of your Google Places local business listing by putting up hours and location, descriptions, photos and even videos.
A mobile-friendly website may be all you need if you plan to advertise your location, store hours, general information about the business and current specials. But if you can invest in the time to keep offering new promos, different information and continually changing entertainment, you may find mobile apps can bring in frequent and repeated visitors.
Take a look at launching a mobile application. A mobile app can also appeal to customers’ love of deals by offering rewards that are available only through your app. However, let me advise against a mobile app if you don’t feel that you can meet the demand for continually updating and changing your app offerings. A lot of customers will use their mobile device to go straight to your website.