2012 Poised to be Year of Mobile Marketing

Experts in the mobile marketing field are predicting that 2012 will be the year that mobile phones will come into their own as a marketing tool. Mobile marketing has grown and its year-to-year numbers show that it is increasing by approximately 30 percent each year, which I would say is a very clear indication that mobile is becoming the new standard communication tool. Over the last several years, print advertising revenue is down by approximately 12 percent.

As technology continues to advance and handheld devices become a more important means of communication, consumer buying habits also change and evolve. Simply because mobile technology allows companies to put messages in front of consumers constantly, it doesn't necessarily follow that it will be the best way to increase revenue.

I think that companies that do not use available mobile technologies as part of the marketing plan are missing out on opportunities to connect with prospective buyers and grow their customer base, but the methods used have to capture a cell phone user's attention with a meaningful message and attractive savings offers. Otherwise, the message is just add to all the noise that consumers are dealing with every day.

Mobile technology definitely has a place in an overall marketing plan, so companies need to consider carefully where it fits in to the mix. With over five billion mobile subscribers worldwide, there is a huge market waiting to be tapped, and 2012 looks like it will be the year to put these plans into place.

Why Your Business Needs a Mobile Marketing Strategy

For business owners who haven't adopted a mobile marketing strategy, there are a number of really good reasons to get on board. In 2010, internet users were using mobile devices to get online more than 50 percent of the time. According to a recent study conducted by Ericsson, 35 percent of people who own an iPhone or an Android device check Facebook before getting out of bed in the morning.

If you are operating a retail business, you need to be prepared to accommodate customers who want to look for products and make purchases online. It makes good business sense to recognize customers' needs and to meet them. Customers are looking for easy and convenient ways to compare prices and make purchases; therefore, retailers who want to grow their customer base will respond appropriately by establishing mobile-friendly sites.

Mobile ads are an excellent way to promote a business. Messages presented in this format need to be short and easy for the reader to understand. As with other types of internet advertising, it should include a clear call to action. Mobile ads are arguably more effective than internet ads, which is an excellent reason to adopt them for your business.

If you are going to use mobile ads for your business, consider offering mobile coupons to your customers. Putting them in hand, so to speak, will lead to higher conversion rates than if you distributed paper ones. 

What Will the Future of QR Codes Look Like?

Are QR codes on their way out? I have been giving this some thought, and here is my take on the matter. Like everything else involving modern technology, QR codes will continue to evolve. Over time, they will likely become more specialized and user-friendly.

When QR codes were introduced, marketers seemed to take to them right away. Consumers, however, were slower to embrace this type of communication. Part of the problem with QR code marketing is that consumers cannot tell from looking at it what the benefit of scanning it with the smart phone would be for them.

It can be argued that QR codes are a more sophisticated version of a barcode, and we are all very familiar with those. When someone goes into a store to buy an item and a cashier scans the barcode to ring up the sale, it is a very straightforward process. The customer knows that the barcode contains a description of the item and its price. With QR codes, however, the consumer is not familiar with how scanning it will provide a benefit for him or her, and that makes QR codes a tougher sell.

However, the creative uses for QR codes exist, and the potential is almost limitless based on evolving smartphone technology. QR codes can drive leads, deliver customized content, unlock special offers, and more, marketers just need to start thinking creatively about how to use QR codes to really engage the consumers snapping them.

In all likelihood, QR codes will continue to exist in some form, but they will need to be become more specialized if consumers are going to embrace them in the way that marketers are hoping. They might need to offer the benefit to the customer in a specific situation, such as being able to scan and pay for an item on the go, before they become more mainstream.

US Online Holiday Spending Up 15 Percent Over 2010

If there was any doubt about the popularity of online shopping during the holiday season, the figures released by comScore confirms that consumers are embracing mobile commerce like never before. I knew that online shopping was very popular, but I didn't realize that it accounts for $35.3 billion. This number is a full 15 percent above the figures released for 2010.

Approximately $1.25 billion in spending took place after on November 28, which is referred to as "Cyber Monday.” I can understand why consumers are interested in shopping this way. Online buying has become much easier with e-readers, tablets, and even smart phones. These items are very popular as gifts, and it makes sense that recipients will use them for shopping and other purposes.

During the 2011 holiday shopping season (November 1-December 26), digital content and subscriptions made up 2.8 percent of retail e-commerce sales. On Christmas Day, this category jumped to 20 percent of sales.

Given these figures, I can see that mobile technology being used for shopping is here to stay. As consumers become more comfortable shopping electronically and they realize the benefits of doing so, online store sales will continue to grow. I can't predict whether online shopping will overtake visiting a store in person, but I do know that consumers like to have a choice about what buying methods will work best for them.