4 Methods of Maximizing and Monetizing Mobile Marketing Efforts

A recent study by Google showed nearly 75 percent of consumers surveyed said they want to see mobile-friendly sites. And if you're site isn't one of them, you may be losing leads and sales. The fact that we're a nation that is on-the-go and pretty much living on our smartphones or tablets means that your website should be adapted to these mediums to help monetize your business. It also means that thinking about mobile marketing and how to incorporate various forms of that into your marketing strategy should be high on your list for 2013. Mobile-Friendly Must-Haves There are certain "must-haves" that consumers noted they are looking for in a mobile-friendly website. Such features include: 1. Being fast. This means having a site that loads in around five seconds or less. 2. Being user-friendly. Having large buttons, easy search capabilities, limited scrolling or pinching are key, based on consumer feedback. Something to consider is having responsive templates that adjust accordingly based on the user's device, albeit template, desktop or mobile phone. It's also important to have quick access to company information, such as easy-to-find business directions, contact numbers, product and purchasing information. Even better, consider adding a "click to call" access button to contact a customer service rep to take an order via the phone, as well as an option for users to visit a non-mobile site. 3. Being social. To continue bonding and viral marketing, don't forget links to your business' social media profile page. If you're a smaller business that may not have the staff or resources to include these features into your website, there are some free and trial mobile conversion websites worth checking out. These include: http://www.ginwiz.com, http://www.dudamobile.com/ and http://www.mobilizetoday.com. The App Attack If you're pondering if your business "app worthy" or how you can leverage apps for additional sales or leads, here's some food for thought … Paid apps could be a great way to add ancillary revenues to your business and free apps could be used for collecting important data (leads), which can be used for cross-selling. Some businesses even obtain revenues through ads that are built in the app from sponsorship partners. Whichever business model you choose, you still have to decide what your app will feature. Typically, content is king. For instance if you're a financial publisher, you may consider having an app that has stocks alerts and ideas, technical analysis, commentary and actionable data that your end-user (investors) would find beneficial. Know your audience and decide what kind of content is "app worthy." Then, of course, you need to market and distribute your app for increased visibility. You can promote your app though affiliate and joint venture emails, press releases, content marketing, online classifieds, and guerilla marketing in related forums and message boards. You can also include your app in various marketplaces including: Play/Apps Store (Droid and iPhone), BlackBerry Appworld, Apple Apps Store/iTunes, and Amazon Appstore for Android. Of course, fees and commissions vary, but some are more cost-effective than you think. Here's a great article with more information: "App Store Fees, Percentages and Payouts: What Developers Need to Know." I also found a free service worth checking out called Freeappalert.com as an alternate distribution channel for your app. QR Codes You've seen 'em, those little square bar codes on just about everything these days. But not everyone is using them properly and not every business needs them. QR Codes, used the right way, can be a great way to take offline marketing leads online. For instance, consider putting these little guys on your business cards, collateral material, fulfillment kits, promotional fliers, press kits, brochures and other printed materials. Why? It's a way for a consumer to "scan" the barcode and be redirected to your sign up/"squeeze page" or promotional webpage to provide further information and, more importantly, collect valuable data on them so you can follow up accordingly. SMS Texting Recent studies show that 97 percent of text messages are read within minutes of receiving them. SMS text message marketing allows you to communicate directly to your target market by sending a simple, quick text message. This permission-based program is perfect because your recipients have opted in to receive your messages. If you choose SMS texting for either bonding (editorial) or marketing (promotions), in addition to your standard anti-spam and privacy policy verbiage, make sure on your sign up form it's clearly stated that subscribers who elect to be contacted this way will receive important messages and special offers from the publisher and select third-party partners, as well as may be subject to text messaging fees from the phone carrier. This article shows a good example of a text message disclaimer: "What Details to Include in a Mobile Marketing Call to Action." In my experience, this medium has been most effective with premium-type services where members rely on critical real-time alerts from the publisher that are pure editorial. The marketing aspect is ancillary. So if you're looking to be a leader in your industry and not a laggard, it pays to conduct some "due diligence" on your website and think about which mobile marketing strategies may be right for your biz and audience. With our social and communications landscape always changing, staying abreast of the latest tools, trends and is imperative for businesses to survive and thrive.

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4 Methods of Maximizing and Monetizing Mobile Marketing Efforts

Wendy Montes de Oca

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Wendy Montes de Oca