Mobile Advertising ... Reach Them Anywhere!

A few years ago, the term “mobile advertising” would bring highway billboards to mind. Today, of course, we’re referring to sending your messaging to the ubiquitous smart phone. This is a diverse field; below I’ve outlined several areas that will likely encompass your needs.

Mobile Advertising Networks

Just as you’d turn to Google or Bing for pay-per-click advertising, you’ll seek out a “mobile advertising network” to reach prospects on their mobile devices. This is an emerging area and is currently crowded with many more than a hundred options.

Not surprisingly, Google is the indisputable sector leader. It was already the largest online advertising company when it acquired Admob, the biggest “player” in mobile ads, four years ago. They have since integrated Admob into their AdWords platform. Google’s Android, the world’s leading smartphone operating system, is bolstering their position. Google is immensely profitable, has the most resources to continue investment in mobile and are an obvious safe choice.

Beyond Google are a number of other notable mobile advertising specialists including Apple’s iAd (the second largest category member after Google), Millennial Media, Flurry, InMobi, Chartboost (online games based), MoPub, HasOffers and others.

There are also a number of alternatives that are not exclusively mobile but have substantial penetration on mobile devices. I have one client that’s enjoyed success advertising on Pandora’s online music service.

Selecting the your best mobile advertising alternative comes down to evaluating three factors:

• Costs.
  
• Geo-targeting capability: How effectively can they serve ads in your local area?
  
• Demographics: Can they reach your target audience (ie: males 21 to 35 years old)?
  

I can certainly assist you in exploring your options in this crowded and confusing area.

SMS Advertising

Simple Messaging Service (SMS) … “text messaging” to you and I. Many other forms of advertising can be ignored or “tuned out”; text messages demand attention. Below are a few statistics:

• 96% of text messages are read within minutes of receipt.
  
• 86% of consumers send or receive a text message every week.
  
• 30% of consumers interact with an advertiser via commercial text messages.
  
• Text message coupons are ten times more likely to be redeemed than traditional printed coupons.
  

To get started, you’ll need (or be able to build) a list of cellphone numbers. Traditional landline numbers on your list do no harm but, of course, won’t received your texts. Because some mobile phone plans charge for text messages above a plan limit, you’ll want to employ a carefully constructed opt-in policy in building your list.

You’ll use an SMS gateway service to send your text messages. Here again there are a number of choices making cost the main but not only consideration. You will need to match your specific needs against the gateway’s feature list (like scheduled future distribution for appointment reminders or a restaurant discount lunch coupon).

If text messaging marketing potentially works for you, I can do a turnkey research to integration to operational set-up.

Quick Response Codes

You’ve seen them … little inch or so square symbols that look a bit like a psychedelic checkerboard. They’re called “Quick Response” or “QR” codes. When scanned by a smart phone, they can automatically evoke a number of actions:

• Add a new entry (name, address, phone number) to your phone’s contact list.
  
• Dial a phone number.
  
• Launch your Email application with the recipient’s address and (optionally) subject pre-populated.
  
• Launch your text messaging application again with the recipient’s phone number pre-populated.
  
• Send a Tweet.
  
• Add an event to your phone’s calendar.
  
• Launch your navigation map application with a destination location pre-set.
  
• Display a simple (or long and detailed) text message.
  
• Launch your phone’s Web browser and direct it to a specific Web page.
  

All of these are potentially usefully marketing tools but it is the last item (go to a Web page) that is the most popular and potentially useful. An in-place QR code can quickly display a Web page with more expansive content or up-to-the-minute information. Picture a few possibilities with a QR code …

• … in a brochure or print ad that accesses complete product details and photos with an online ordering option.
  
• … on the end-cap of a real estate sign that displays property details, interior photos, price and contact information.
  
• … outside a restaurant that shows the complete menu and daily specials.
  
• … providing a “more information” link on any product from a sofa in a furniture showroom to a car window on a closed used car lot.
  
• … on the back of a salesman’s business card linking to the latest promotions on his company’s Facebook page.
  
• … on a printed invitation making an “instant” reservation at an upcoming business seminar.
  
• … in a technical manual linking to a step-by-step instructional video on YouTube.
  
• … in a museum, zoo or historical site linking to additional information on Wikipedia.
  
• … on a landscaping company’s proposal linking to a photo portfolio of their past projects.
  

QR code possibilities are endless but so are the opportunities! I would love to help you explore them.

Responsive Website Design

Regardless of the mobile advertising methodology you employ, you’ll be attracting visitors to your Website on their mobile devices (smart phones and tablets). You’ll, of course, want to provide them with the best possible experience. A correctly configured “mobile responsive” site will automatically resize and restructure pages that look good on desktop monitors and notebooks as required to perfectly accommodate various smaller mobile screen sizes. This optimized view is generated without the effort or expense of creating a separate mobile version of your site. I specialize in creating responsive Websites. See an example by scanning the QR code on the right sidebar above to view this page on your phone or tablet.