The world of digital communication is far from a static environment. Although most blogs and articles regarding online and mobile marketing focus on big changes each year, the reality is that trends begin to shift sometimes within a year if not within a few months. If you’re not keeping up in mobile marketing, you’re falling behind. There is no neutral. With a new year upon us, we’re looking at some mobile marketing changes you should watch for this year.
Predictive Analytics
Analytics are the data sets that power any good marketing scheme, from Pay Per Call to mobile marketing. Predictive analytics is emerging as a critical discipline that incorporates the analytics most companies and marketers are already using into machine-learning technology. When behavioral data from mobile app users (for example) is collected, predictive analytics is increasingly being used to formulate educated guesses regarding what that shopper will do next.
The goal, of course, is to help brands stay one step ahead of their consumers. Rather than sifting through endless data sets in search of insights, machine-learning can automatically spot patterns in user behavior and changes, helping marketers stay one step ahead and make changes almost in real time.
Mobile-Only Social is Growing
Social media is, of course, a valuable tool in any marketing scheme. However, mobile-only social apps are growing in importance for your business because, quite simply, their use among consumers is growing. Apps such as Periscope, Snapchat, and Instagram are catching up to Facebook in popularity, but in the case of Periscope and Snapchat, the platform is almost entirely mobile.
Rather than simply copy-and-pasting the same content from your other social media sites to mobile-only profiles, start coming up with new content that focuses directly on those individuals viewing specifically on mobile devices. Connect with followers using in-the-moment photos from the production line or share a video promoting a new product. Differentiation is the key to capturing the momentum of this trend.
Read More: 5 Pitfalls of Failing to Go Mobile-Friendly
Mobile Apps Might Emerge as King
Mobile app use is on the rise, and though mobile marketing has long focused on an overall tactic of tailoring content to mobile, 2017 could be the year where mobile apps make a significant stride in differentiating that platform from mobile marketing as a whole. Even if your company can’t directly sell products through a mobile app, there’s good reason to consider developing one to represent your brand.
First, Statista predicts 268 million mobile apps will be downloaded in 2017. Second, and more importantly to your business, those downloads will translate to $77 billion dollars in revenue for companies. Engaging with your customer base through a mobile app helps keep your brand fresh in their mind, and gives you the opportunity to generate leads for purchases.
Faith in Mobile Payments is Growing
More and more consumers are putting their trust in mobile payment apps, from Apple Pay and Android Pay to Google Wallet and others. There are plenty of options out there that provide consumers with an easy way to securely pay for goods, both on the go in a store and online. The use of buy buttons in your mobile marketing efforts can boost your revenue by making it easier for customers using these growing technologies to pay for your goods.
Simply placing a “buy” button on your site and/or in your ads cuts out some of the runaround customers typically have to deal with in some online payments. Rather than sending them to another site to complete payment, they can click the “buy” button right in an ad and finish their payment quickly through mobile payment apps.
Best of all, it eliminates the time for customers to hesitate or second-guess their purchases. It’s as simple as click, pay, and go.
Read More: What Exactly are Consumers Doing on Mobile