One in two Americans will have a smartphone by Christmas 2011. This prediction from Nielson may shock many but most marketers are not surprised. With the decline in cost and the rise in availability of applications, smartphones are quickly taking over the cell phone market. How can your business keep up?
Be sure you can continue to be found even while someone is on the go. Smartphones and other devices like iPads work differently than a computer so be sure to optimize your website for mobile technology. Also, take advantage of free services such as Google Places. By registering with Google Places, your business can be found more easily by mobile device. Your telephone number and address will be accessible for the customer on the go.
Now it’s time to get creative with your marketing. Mobile apps are where it’s at! If you have the resources, creating even a basic mobile application can provide another way to interact with your consumer. A mobile application that is relevant and useful to your audience will have a significant return on investment.
Mobile applications are not the only way to interact in the growing mobile market. The wildly popular QR (Quick Response) Code is making its way to the United States. Already a hit in many countries overseas, the QR code was originally developed in Japan as a more efficient barcode system. Now, it has turned our world into a digital scavenger hunt. If you spot a QR Code, grab your smartphone and use your barcode scanning application to read the code. Once the scanner reads the code, the image will provide you with a surprise. It may be a coupon, a link to a website, an image, a video, a game, a song or anything the creator dreams up. QR Codes can be printed on practically everything. We have seen them on billboards, hats, magazines, t-shirts and even coffee mugs. The sky is the limit!
Don’t forget the traditional use of coupons and offers during your mobile campaign. Ashley Drummond Viebrock, a Mass Media Marketing Account Executive, says she loves receiving coupons on her phone because she remembers to use them immediately. As a recycling enthusiast, she also likes that mobile coupons are environmentally friendly which translates into savings at the printer.
The links below provide a wealth of information on mobile marketing. Read and enjoy!
Article: 1 in 2 Americans will have a smartphone by Christmas 2011
Mobile Marketing Popularity Rapidly Grows
Try out our QR code featured here in our blog. Don’t have a QR code reader on your smartphone? Try using the ShopSavvy application.
