Digital Consumer Lifestyle | Mar 24, 15
A Shift to Mobile Marketing
By Jestelle Irizarry, Junior Executive at The San Jose Group
This article reflects mobile-marketing practices and data from 2014–2015. It is preserved as a historical digital-marketing perspective.
Mobile Became a Core Part of the Customer Journey
As smartphone use expanded, brands increasingly recognized that mobile could not be treated as a secondary version of desktop marketing. Consumers were researching, communicating, shopping and interacting with brands from mobile devices throughout the day.
Mobile Strategy Is More Than Social Media
Social platforms were an important part of mobile behavior, but they were not the right answer for every brand. A broader mobile strategy could include responsive websites, search, email, apps, location-aware experiences and other touchpoints designed around how people actually use their phones.
Data Only Matters When It Answers a Business Question
Mobile generated large amounts of behavioral data, but collecting data was never the same as creating insight. Brands needed to decide what they were trying to learn before choosing metrics.
- Which audiences are engaging?
- Where are they entering the mobile experience?
- What actions are they completing?
- Where are they dropping off?
- Which behaviors correlate with conversion or retention?
A Mobile-Friendly Website Often Matters More Than an App
Brands sometimes rushed to create apps simply because competitors had one. But an app only creates value when it solves a real user need. A well-designed mobile website may be more useful than an app that offers little beyond novelty.
The LongHorn Steakhouse example cited in the original article illustrated this problem: a branded app offered an entertaining interaction but little practical utility. The larger lesson is that technology should serve the customer journey, not exist simply because the channel is fashionable.
What Mobile Marketing Still Requires
The durable lesson is to understand when, where and why customers use mobile, then build experiences that reduce friction and help them accomplish something useful. San Jose Consulting’s Consumer Insights and Communications and Convergent Marketing Solutions services use that same behavior-first approach.
Where Mobile Creates the Most Value
| Mobile Need | Best Strategic Response |
|---|---|
| Research | Fast, mobile-friendly content and search visibility |
| Purchase | Simple checkout, payment and form completion |
| Service | Easy access to account, support and location information |
| Engagement | Relevant messaging tied to context and customer behavior |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every brand need a mobile app?
No. An app should solve a recurring customer need or create functionality that a mobile website cannot deliver as effectively. If the app offers little practical utility, a strong mobile website may provide greater value.
What should brands measure in mobile marketing?
Measure the actions tied to the business objective: qualified traffic, completion rate, conversion, repeat use, retention or another meaningful outcome. The metric should follow the decision the brand needs to make.
How should mobile fit into the broader marketing plan?
Mobile should connect to the rest of the customer journey rather than operate as a separate tactic. Market Return on Investment can help determine where mobile investment creates the strongest business value.
Key Takeaways
- Mobile strategy should begin with customer behavior, not with a technology mandate.
- A useful mobile experience matters more than simply having an app.
- Data creates value only when it answers a specific business question.
- Reducing friction across research, purchase and service is a durable source of mobile value.
