Mobile marketing is no longer a “nice to have” — it’s an expectation. Brands must meet customers where they browse and shop to achieve impactful results, and this is done through in-app messaging, SMS, and push notifications. When used in tandem with a strong marketing strategy, brands can harness mobile communications to accelerate valuable customer experiences.
Mobile isn’t the future; it’s the present. More than 75% of smartphone users make purchases on their smartphone, making this type of marketing a necessity. But brands must make a decision: follow suit with the most successful brands by bringing customers 1:1 personalization with a mobile-centric approach or get left behind.
Need more convincing to make the switch to a true omni-channel experience? Here are three reasons why mobile marketing is mandatory to maximize success:
Exist at Every Digital Touchpoint
Brands want to actively engage with their customers. This is why marketing communications must exist on the customers' most-used devices so their engagement is reciprocated. Currently, customers spend a third of their waking hours on mobile: daily tasks from video streaming to checking emails have all shifted to mobile devices. As a result, adding mobile messaging to your current marketing strategy can boost engagement by more than 9x.
When brands initially spearhead their mobile marketing strategy, they must first think of the best way to promote the branded app to their customers. Urging customers to engage with the app through other digital avenues is the best way to do this. The most valuable omni-channel experiences exist when all streams of communication support each other.
For instance, a retailer wants to promote a 48-hour spring sale and communicate this to as many customers as possible in a short period of time. The brand includes an evergreen banner in all upcoming email campaigns to make shoppers aware of the sale with a “stay in the know wherever you are” call to action. Additionally, Apple Store and Google Play dynamic links are included to prompt recipients to download the retailer’s app and receive marketing communication this way. To take it a step further, the brand incentivizes the experience by including exclusive promos for those who have downloaded the app.
Mobile is a must.
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Once the focus turns to mobile, marketers need to evaluate what type of communications deliver the most value to their customers. Think big. In most cases, more engagement with the customer is better. According to Braze’s Cross-Channel Messaging Guide, blended mobile experiences drive strong results. When push notifications are paired with in-app messages, users engage at a rate 224% higher than individuals who are targeted with push messages alone. Marketers who reach customers at all angles are the ones that find omni-channel success.
A delivery app releases a promo for Memorial Day. To prompt customers to enter the app, an initial push notification showcasing the discount acts as bait. Once they “bite” and click on the push notification, they are brought into the app where they will find a time-targeted, in-app message that counts down to the end of the sale. This drives a sense of urgency while increasing chances of a purchase.
Prioritize Personalization
It’s not enough for brands to send generic mobile communications to their customers and call it a day. Before truly investing time and money into a brand, customers want to feel understood. Displaying products that are tailored to their personal preference builds customer loyalty and retention. This said, Leanplum found that personalized push notifications based on user behavior will increase open rates 9x.
When a customer leaves an item in their cart while shopping online, the retailer sends a push notification to their mobile device reminding them of the abandoned product. To further drive engagement, the retailer also triggers a push notification displaying similar items that fit their needs. This blended approach to mobile communication reinforces the pursuit to purchase, even if it isn’t the item the customer initially left in their cart.
Mobile is the missing piece to your omni-channel strategy. The moment your brand chooses channel expansion, they choose success.
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