As use of both business and personal mobile phones has become more widespread, social network marketing has had to adapt as well.
Since the business world is still feeling its way across new, rocky paths, how quickly and how well businesses adjust their marketing paradigms to mobile phone and mobile tablet users could well spell the difference between profit and loss in the coming years.
Studies have projected that by the year 2015, tablets and Smartphones in active and constantly preferred use will outnumber their desktop PC counterparts. One of the most commonly used features on tablets and mobile phones is social networking. Smaller screens, apps and shortcut buttons are redefining this newest, self-fulfilling marketing trend.
Your markets are going mobile. If your business isn’t mobile-marketed, your market will leave you behind in favour of those who keep up with them.
App Development
General use, mobile phone apps are great: But is your business listed on the appropriate types of apps? If you own a chain of gas stations, for example, are yours listed in the Find X apps? Is your restaurant?
If you answer negatively to either question, consider getting your business listed. But that shouldn’t restrict you to developing your specialized app for every major mobile operating system as well: In those combined-listing apps, you’re one among many, but you should be included. In a solo, specialized app, only your business is presented.
Just make what you offer in that app reach beyond your latest sales pitch. People like sales, but they like other information as well. Include, but don’t limit.
Discount Ads
FourSquare, for instance, is a terrific local advertising, consumer-driven social networking tool that entices new customers and rewards loyalty, repeating customers who are in or will pass through your local area.
You design your advertising. You customize for item inclusion, discount amounts and timing. FourSquare is one of the fastest-growing SNM tools, and if your business isn’t listed in local retailers or if your brand isn’t listed for local availability, you are losing customers.
RSS Feeds
Mobile receipt of RSS feeds keeps your customers informed without fear of missing out on that update alert or a product release or general information regarding your particular niche. Make mobile RSS feeds compact and accessible, for your customer base is probably on or leaning toward mobile device use almost exclusively.
Text Messaging or Email Campaigns
If your customer or potential customer provides you with a mobile phone number or an email address, this gives you an additional marketing option. Don’t overuse the privilege that you’ve been given by flooding the receiver with notices and messages, but periodic texts and emails is both legal and generally acceptable. Just be aware, however, of the requirement for an opt-out in either and both modes of on-the-go advertising, and honor the option when noted.
Keep texts as short as or shorter than tweets, and remember shorter line lengths for mobile email access: People get very tired very quickly of scrolling to the side to read what would be a normal line length on a PC, for few mobile phones automatically adjust the text to match screen width.