Traditional print advertising is expensive and remains challenging when it comes to accurately determining market engagement, while online marketing campaigns are comparatively cheap and enable the cross-analysis of both engagement and conversion, owing to the availability of detailed statistics from a variety of sources.
In the last 5 years or so, the quality and availability of analytical tools has improved significantly and because internet access and engagement has been for the greater part, limited to desktop PC’s and laptops, understanding the behaviour of customers and using this statistical information has been fairly uncomplicated.
According to a recent report by app analytics platform, Flurry, between the 25th and 31st of December 2012, over 50 million iOS and Android devices were activated in comparison to just over 20 million in the same period during 2011.
Mobile device users are also no longer only using their smartphones and tablets in their private time. With the BYOD, or ‘Bring Your Own Device’ phenomenon now becoming a distinct reality for companies, customers are accessing using their mobile devices for a variety of applications both during work and private hours.
Not only does this confirm what we already know – that mobile devices need to be considered in the marketing mix – but it must be understood that the mobile market is different. The approach you would usually take to defining and analysing your internet campaigns won’t necessarily work in mobile marketing.
So in developing your mobile marketing strategy – how do you find the information you need to start understanding this market?
While analytical tools continue to evolve in the mobile marketing arena, there are already a few fantastic options that will help you in defining your mobile marketing strategy and campaigns:-
1. comScore Data Mine
Offering an extensive range of analytical reports, the comScore Data Mine provides insight into virtually all areas of Mobile Marketing. Delivered as easy to read, colourful, graphical publications, you will find real gems of information here.
2. Google Think Insights – Mobile Planet
If you are looking for fully customised data to help you understand a specific market, this powerful tool offered by Google provides an incredibly convenient way to mine the data you need. In addition you will find research and infographics to help you understand leading online marketing trends.
3. Flurry
The Flurry.com blog provides a great resource for a diversity of information regarding current mobile and app usage trends. If you do offer an app, Flurry Analytics will also help you measure audience reach, engagement, retention and more – for free!
4. mobiThinking Compendium of Mobile Statistics and Research
Instead of trawling the internet in search of specific mobile marketing information, head on over to the mobiThinking website where you will find a fantastic one page resource with an incredible variety of information.
It is clear that the explosion in adoption of mobile technology has fuelled a far more personalised experience for potential customers. As a marketer, or as someone involved in the marketing process at your company, you’ll be required to consider the specifics of your market segment to best determine the most appropriate mobile marketing approach to use.
Once you have, with the right information as your foundation, identified your mobile marketing strategy and run your first campaign, then establishing whether that campaign was successful will help shape future marketing efforts. Where and how to determine ROI (Return on Investment), will be the subject of our next post.
