Mobile users account for most Internet traffic and attract a growing portion of marketing efforts. The race to reach the lucrative mobile market has caused mobile marketing to evolve quickly. Webmasters and marketing professionals must continually stay alert for changing market conditions and new strategies that can keep them and their clients relevant amid vigorous and intensifying competition. Pay particular attention to the following mobile marketing strategies and trends as they become relevant in 2016.
Native Advertising
Advertising that fits the natural user experience of a website defeats popup blockers and generates twice as many click-throughs as display advertising. Social media sites and publishers were at the forefront the new advertising trend that blends marketing messages with content streams. Expect more businesses to implement native advertising as they become aware of its effectiveness with mobile users.
Growth in Marketing Automation
Statistics indicate that more than half of all businesses have enlisted an email marketing provider to support their efforts. Of the firms that use email marketing, three-quarters or more have expressed intentions to buy marketing automation software this year. Marketing automation spans all industries and will grow explosively growth as easy-to-use, mobile friendly, and technologically advanced solutions become available. Marketers will enjoy the flexibility of executing their marketing campaigns from mobile devices. Also, advanced analytics capabilities will help firms focus their efforts on the customers that have the most potential.
Design for Devices
Mobile experiences now demand more than one-size-fits-all website designs. As the marketing world discovers more about the behavior of mobile users, more designers will realize the need to develop content appropriately for each device. The trend will continue to grow throughout the year as companies strive to provide the user experience required to achieve sustained growth.
Dependence on Big Data
Mobile data has fueled a boom in Big Data as marketers learn how users interact with brands. As firms sift through unprecedented amounts of information gleaned from mobile users, they hope to find clues about consumer behavior that can provide a competitive advantage. Information about referral traffic, and user flow through mobile sites and apps directs the efforts of developers as they capitalize on user preferences. Social media continues to attract a high percentage of mobile traffic, contributing more to the growing pool of available data.
Companies will increasingly use Big Data to predict the needs and desires of customers both online and in physical stores. The personalized customer experience provided by Big Data insights will improve customer satisfaction and increase sales throughout the client’s life-cycle.
Vertical Video Advertising
Video advertising has proven its merit, but mobile users only reluctantly will turn their phone sideways to see a full-screen video. Vertical video eliminates that problem. Statistics affirm the promise of video ads that run in full-screen portrait mode on smartphones and other devices. Early adopters such as Macy’s, NBC, and Periscope have begun a trend that will gain momentum throughout 2016. As data reaffirms the new marketing tactic, expect more companies to develop compelling vertical video ads that will captivate the attention of users for extended periods, resulting in higher conversion rates.
Mobile dominance has fueled the urgency of marketers working tirelessly to keep up with evolving technology and increasing user demands. As the year unfolds, expect the trends listed here to guide your marketing campaigns. New developments will continue to alter the dynamic mobile landscape, so keep your eyes open for more new and exciting opportunities.