As a small business owner, you might feel like your mobile marketing efforts are falling by the wayside. It’s difficult to compete with corporate marketing strategies from companies like Walmart and Amazon. You’re in luck because today helpful software provides nearly everything you need for small business success.
1. Leverage mobile apps to promote
When it comes to mobile marketing, an app is probably the first marketing tool that comes to mind. As of 2015, more than 51 per cent of consumers are accessing marketing information from mobile devices – people access their smartphones more than their computers. The great news is that you can probably find drag-and-drop application development software with templates designed specifically for your niche.
You can use a branded app for sharing promotions, providing easy access to your responsive website, receiving order information, or anything else you can think up. App uses are endless.
Whenever I mention mobile apps, I like to share the genius way that Metro Trains in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia raised brand awareness through a ‘public service announcement’ launching Dumb Ways to Die. The app was intended to engage audiences that didn’t want to hear any kind of safety message. It went viral. You probably don’t want your app to look like an ad for your business.
2. Use mobile advertising networks to complement your ad campaigns
When it comes to advertising for mobile, your best bet is to get on board with mobile advertising networks. Some 98 per cent of ad blocker use comes from desktop devices, meaning that only 2 per cent of those with ad blocking tools use them on their mobile devices. Your ads are more likely to be seen on mobile, so why not invest wisely?
A mobile ad network will basically connect your ads with others who can share on their apps and mobile sites for a small profit. Let the network take care of the placement of your ads within your parameters. Then, sit back and watch the traffic roll in.
3. Take advantage of text messaging services
The most widely and frequently used feature on smartphones is text messaging. Text messages have extremely high open rate – they are opened an astounding 98 per cent of the time while emails have an average open rate of only 28 per cent. That’s why SMS marketing pays off if you use it right to promote your business.
Leveraging a bulk SMS service you can take the hassle out of text messaging automation, contact management, and access everything from your computer, rather than sending individual messages from your phone. Just make sure that everyone you contact has opted in to receive communications to their cell phone so that you’re in compliance with privacy laws.
4. Don’t forget to check the responsiveness of your website
You can use Google’s mobile-friendly test to find out if your website is responsive for the majority of the traffic you receive (remember, more people are on mobile devices than computers). If you find that your site is less than optimal for traffic from smartphones and tablets, and you take the steps to remedy the issue, you could see major increases in your page rank.
Using a website that isn’t optimised for mobile could cost you more than half of your traffic, increase your bounce rate, and decrease your search engine rankings. This isn’t a risk worth taking.
5. Pay attention to your analytics tools data
If you’re not already analysing traffic to your mobile website, apps, and mobile web content, you need to. Your website, social media profiles, and mobile apps should be monitored by some sort of analytics tool so that you know what’s working to increase traffic and sales, and which efforts aren’t doing your campaigns any justice.
6. Get listed in local directories
Mobile friendly local directories like Yelp and search engines have location-based targeting, maps, and reviews. These elements can be key when running a successful small business.
Online business reviews affect the trust of up to 72 per cent of consumers. So, if you’re not managing your own small business listings in places where the public can leave reviews, you could be missing out on one of the best mobile brand building experiences available.
Being in local searches will give you an advantage, especially if you’re in a populated location. When someone does a mobile search for your type of business, as a basic rule, the closest listings will show up first. Registering your business in local searches means you’ll be the first to catch people’s attention when they’re nearby.
7. Implement online ordering… Offline
In the case that you are offering some sort of service (food, beauty, etc.) and the foot traffic is somewhat heavy, you can offer an online shopping cart offline. Most people will have a smartphone handy, so use a QR code or short URL on your food or service menu for easy access. You can also offer a public tablet or mobile device that will automatically direct customers to your order screen. Around 93 per cent of restaurant visitors will order digitally if offered a dedicated device.
8. Minimise the steps to arrive at your website with QR codes
When it comes to offline advertising, most people will access your site from mobile devices. Rather than force people to type in the entire URL of your site or specific content, offer QR codes as an alternative. Some 39 per cent of women and 56 per cent of men have scanned QR codes, which can make the mobile browsing experience much more convenient.
Conclusion
As you employ the above tools, your mobile marketing campaigns will see fast gains. Just stay up to date with technology, and remember – the less your marketing looks like traditional advertising, the more it will engage customers and lead to sales. Which of these effective tools will you try first?
Further reading on mobile marketing
