Brands are now trying to reach you through your mobile apps
Flickr/Cristiano Betta
The people have spoken, and apps beat mobile web browsing almost every time.
As of the second quarter of 2015, the average U.S. user spends 198 minutes in apps while on their smartphone each day, compared to just 22 minutes on the mobile web, according to Flurry. And this fact is having major repercussions on how brands are trying to reach you.
Overall mobile search traffic is actually increasing, but this Grand Canyon-sized gulf between app and mobile web times are changing how companies view the mobile world, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Companies are acutely aware that consumers are spending more time on their mobile devices and are adjusting their strategies to compensate. Brands are now trying to find effective and user-friendly mobile search experiences that address users' preference for apps.
The catch, of course, is that shifting from apps to mobile search (and vice versa) is not the smoothest experience. In fact, it can cause some customers to just abandon ship. Google tried to address this last year with a technology known as "app streaming" in which a user can search within Google's browser and then "stream" the app from inside the search results without actually needing to open or even download the app.
Brands face this challenge among a host of others in trying to reach consumers. In a world of more options and technology seemingly each day, companies need to stay ahead of the curve in order to market themselves effectively, particularly as consumers shift more and more toward mobile devices.
So what does this mean for the average consumer? How will you see ads and promotions in a year, three years, five years?
Jessica Smith, a research analyst at BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, has compiled a detailed report that takes a close look at the different mobile marketing tactics being used today, spanning legacy mobile technologies like SMS to emerging capabilities like beacon-aided location-based marketing. The report also identify some of the most useful mobile marketing technologies that mobile marketers are putting to good use as parts of larger strategies.
Flickr/Cristiano Betta
Here are some key takeaways from the report:
- As consumers spend more time on their mobile devices, marketing campaigns are following suit. Mobile ad spend continues to lag mobile time spent, providing an opportunity for creative marketers.
- Marketers should leverage different mobile tactics depending on the size and demographics of the audience they want to reach and the type of message they want to send. With all tactics, marketers need to respect the personal nature of the mobile device and pay attention to the potential for communication overload.
- Mobile messaging — particularly SMS and email — has the broadest reach and highest adoption among mobile users. Messaging apps, relative newcomers but gaining fast in popularity, offer more innovative and engaging outreach options.
- Emerging technology, such as dynamic creative optimization, is breathing new life into mobile browser-based ad campaigns, but marketers should keep an eye on consumer adoption of mobile ad blockers.
- In-app advertising can generate high engagement rates, especially with video. Location-based apps and beacons offer additional data that can enhance targeting capabilities.
In full, the report:
- Identifies the major mobile technologies being used to reach consumers.
- Sizes up the potential reach and potential of each of these mobile technologies.
- Presents an example of a company or brand that has successfully leveraged that mobile technology to reach consumers.
- Assesses the efficacy of each approach.
- Examines the potential pitfalls and other shortcomings of each mobile technology.
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The choice is yours. But however you decide to acquire this report, you’ve given yourself a powerful advantage in your understanding of how mobile marketing is rapidly evolving.