We often say to our own clients that if they are not taking a mobile-first approach with regards to digital strategy, then they are already running behind. Within the current paradigm of digital trade, there is no better word to describe the relationship between mobile marketing and e-commerce, as it is more than a mere link – it’s fundamental.
By definition, mobile marketing describes an online multiple-channel digital strategy that focuses on reaching your audience on your smartphone, tablet, and other mobile devices. E-commerce, as you would expect, describes buying and selling goods or services online. From mobile advertising in West Palm Beach to New York, businesses see dynamic results. Together, we have a recipe for enormous success.
M-Commerce Shopping
The mobile shopping phenomenon represents a paradigm shift that can be described as nothing short of earth-shattering. We have witnessed the metamorphosis of smartphones from being simple telecommunication devices to becoming the internet gateway for an enormous number of people. What is the impact of mobile marketing on e-commerce? Out of these developments emerged a new area within e-commerce known as ‘m-commerce’.
Current experiences within this industry have vindicated that a large proportion of internet traffic today originates from mobile phones. Consumers are no longer waiting at the end of the day and getting back home to access the internet on their computers before making a buying decision. They are making purchases on buses, in coffee queues, and from their couches.
Enhancing Customer Engagement
Perhaps the most immediate impact we can expect with mobile strategy implementation is customer engagement. Through mobile marketing, we get an opportunity to interact with customers via personalized and exclusive avenues, which are not possible with desktop marketing. We have an opportunity to remind a customer about a brand at a time when it matters most with push notifications, text messages, and exclusive mobile platforms. We get an immediate impact because we can get an instant message across to a customer.
Boosting Conversion Rates
Attracting traffic is easy, but making sales from it should be the end objective. We have discovered that a smooth mobile experience is an integral factor that boosts conversion rates. Technologies such as mobile wallets and one click purchasing have greatly minimized the obstacles associated with mobile purchases.
In fact, effective mobile marketing for e-commerce helps reduce friction points and guide users smoothly through to checkout. When we eliminate these obstacles, for instance requiring a customer to pinch and zoom and fill out a form on a touch screen device, we make it very easy for them and thus eliminate cart abandonment.
Creating a Better Customer Experience
User experience is the currency of today’s digital era. Google search engines have shifted focus towards mobile indexing. That implies that they prioritize search results based on a site’s mobile version before displaying it. We have constantly tried to put it across to our clients that it doesn’t amount to indulging in a luxury if they have a mobile-optimized site or an app; it is more of a necessity so as to get satisfied customers.
Improving Personalization
Mobile phones offer us so much information about who we are and what we are interested in. Because these phones are personal, we have access to location information and previous web browsers so that we can personalize and offer highly targeted content that will allow us to alert a customer about special offers based on their proximity to a retail store. We will also be able to alert customers about items they viewed on our mobile site. It makes the customer feel special and not just a number.
Preparing for a Mobile-First Future
The writing is on the wall: mobile marketing will be the fuel that powers the next generation of e-commerce. The businesses that we are seeing succeed are exactly those which no longer perceive mobile as an afterthought but as the central focus of their online presence.
By extending their efforts into mobile-design, mobile-apps, and mobile-message based business models, businesses will be effectively future-proofing themselves. Moreover, with advances in modern technology, there will be no distinction at all drawn between online and offline purchases.