Why Mobile Marketing is Imperative in 2018 & What You Need to Know to Ensure Mobile Marketing Success

Megan Arevalo

7 years ago

We live in a world that is globally connected to the internet and, today, the internet is the primary marketplace of a growing segment of businesses and brands. Unlike the first internet generations of the past three decades, we now connect differently to the internet than in the past. Gone are the days of desktop and PC dominated internet connections as we are in the times of mobile devices and smartphones.

There are an estimated 5 billion smartphones online as of the end of 2017, and that number is even higher than the human population when you add tablets and other smart internet-connected devices. This means that unlike the first businesses that built and grew online, the new breed of companies that are looking to be a successful online need to ensure their sites are streamlined to cater to this immense mobile generated traffic. Many of the world’s top brands have realized this trend forming and have already taken their internet-based platforms mobile. Others, however, are still following an outdated model that, in today’s marketplace, is doing their brand's injustice. Mobile is the future and arguably the present and in 2018 here is why it is imperative to your marketing, branding, and internet-based efforts online.

The History & Trends are Going Mobile

In the year 2000, humanity celebrated the turn of the millennium, and the first mobile ad was shared via SMS. At that time, very few people would have predicted the leaps and bounds that would be taken in the next two decades after that. Mobile phone technology has evolved and become cheaper, connecting the entire world through internet almost everywhere.

Though many people still consumed their internet via desktop and PCs, the rapidly evolving sector of mobile internet users grew and, in 2016, overtook hardline internet usage worldwide for the first time in history. Furthermore, e-commerce is perceived to have doubled last year alone. The world is getting smaller, and it’s due to the mass mobile adoption of a new middle class rising out of developing economies, coupled with lower prices for the mobile technology that is connecting them to the global marketplace. The trends have been moving mobile for over a decade and will continue as technology becomes smaller, cheaper and more accessible in the future.

Time Spend & Adoption by Your Consumers

Though internet traffic is now squarely mobile-dominated, it is even more important to consider that, when it comes to people’s digital attention, mobile is more than 2 to 1 in comparison to hardline. We spend over 4 hours and 9 minutes per day online via our mobiles. Mobile now represents 2 out of every 3 digital minutes, and that number is moving even more in favor of mobile dominance. Also, as there are more mobile internet-capable devices on the planet than human beings, it’s fair to say 100% global adoption is just a matter of time.

Mobile Commerce Statistics

Currently, 4 out of 5 consumers use their phone to shop. Whether that be to compare prices or browse for new goods or services, a large percentage of these consumers, about 93% of them, go on to purchase either in person or ever-increasingly online. 25% of all mobile retailers saw 50% or more of their sales come via mobile and, in 2018, mobile commerce is expected to rake in over $90 billion in sales. What is even more interesting is that shoppers via mobile tend to spend more per month and more per order than their desktop counterparts.

The average mobile shopper spends $71 per month compared to the desktop shopper who spends $67. Considering that 37% of consumers are more likely to purchase from a mobile-optimized site, the implementation of responsive websites is crucial to boosting sales and revenue. As mobile adoption is greatest in the younger market segments and developing economies, brands or businesses that are selling to those segments need to optimize even more imperatively.

Apps vs. Mobile Web

The mobile app has revolutionized the mobile experience, and we spend more and more time online via these platforms. As the world turns more towards mobile internet technologies, these apps are going to play more and more of a pivotal role in our marketplace. Already 85% of mobile users feel more at ease with apps than mobile websites. Additionally, users spend 18 times more time on an app than on mobile sites. Going mobile, therefore, should include marketing directly to these highly engaged users.

According to Criteo, users browse 286% more products in apps than on the mobile web. This is likely one of the contributing factors to app sales being over 30% larger on average order size than mobile web-based sales. Apps are like funnels designed to be engaging and should convert. Getting your campaigns to integrate with mobile apps is a great way to double down on the mobile growth trends and ensure you stay cutting-edge in the realm of mobile technology. Think of the internet as an evolving entity. Desktop internet browsers have given way to mobile browsers who will eventually give way in favor of apps. We already spend over 75% of our four daily hours on mobile in apps, and that trend will only grow as the app marketplace grows.

Email for Mobile

Email is also going mobile. The email systems that make global communication lightspeed are now more accessed via mobile than desktop. 69% of all emails are opened on mobile devices, and this trend is also moving more in the mobile direction. That being said, most brands and marketers are falling short in this specific sector with only 17% having no strategy, 34% having a basic email optimization strategy and just 21% currently employing an advanced mobile email strategy. The reason this is a concern that should be addressed immediately is that 69% of shoppers are influenced to purchase mobile by company emails. Optimizing emails for mobile users is a great way to drive sales and engagement from your email lists and existing customer base.

Top Strategies that Work

When going mobile, a few strategies that work are vital to ensuring a good start into the sector. Coupons & discounts are much bigger online than in person and is a guaranteed way to drive mobile sales. For example, a mobile coupon has a 10% redemption rate compared to a less than 1% redemption rate for a traditional coupon. Additionally, 73% of consumers feel they are more likely to promote and recommend a brand with a good loyalty program, and 63% say a coupon is the most valuable form of mobile marketing.

Additionally, developing apps and getting your products on top sales apps like Amazon or eBay’s mobile platforms are a great way of ensuring mobile users see your products in the places they frequent. Developing your own app is even better but can be expensive, especially when it comes to building a followership for that app. But with the plethora of apps willing to host your products which already have traffic, it’s better to get started with your app through them. Optimizing your site so that it is dynamic and will load on any size screen is crucial to ensuring your website is easy to navigate via mobile.

Another important strategy is to ensure your website loads fast on mobile devices. 18% of mobile users will abandon a site if it doesn’t load in less than 5 seconds and a 1-second delay in page response can result in a 7% reduction in conversion. This means it’s imperative to ensure your site’s mobile optimization strategy includes guaranteeing mobile load speeds are fast and high converting.

Final Thoughts

Mobile is the biggest sector today and will dominate the future of internet usership and commerce. The trends are pointing in that direction, and considering a mobile consumer spends a great deal of money, ever more frequently, the value of your business and marketing efforts is enormous. If you haven’t already mobile optimized then you’re falling behind the sector, and it is crucial for future success that you take your efforts mobile in 2018. For those looking for even more information on the mobile marketing sector and its history, trends and statistics, check out websitebuilder.org.