Who’s Afraid of Mobile Marketing?

In the 21st century, when people use their phones to do everything, It’s time to dive into mobile marketing, and crack some of the common misconceptions.

It’s the 21st century and people use their phones to do everything. It’s no longer okay to be simply ‘mobile-friendly’, you have to be ‘mobile first’. Statistics show that we are well past the tipping point and people are now using their smartphones more than their desktops to consume digital media. It’s time to dive into mobile commerce and marketing, and it’s time to debunk some common misconceptions. Let’s start with the biggest myth of all:

Myth #1: Mobile Marketing Is TOO HARD

Mobile commerce does not have to be difficult. Model your website so that it’s not just ‘mobile-friendly’, but made for mobile. Test often and make sure everything works perfectly. The key is having a mobile technology partner that you can use and trust. Then, if you can answer key questions like,  “does this meet the needs of the customer?” and “is this an effective use of the marketing budget?”, putting mobile commerce into place is not complicated.

Myth #2: My Costumers Prefer Shopping In Store or On Desktop

This kind of thinking simply does not work in this day and age. Consumers don’t rely on one medium to research and buy products. According to the British Retail Consortium product search on smartphones have increased by 66% and Google says that 8/10 of shoppers use smartphones for product research while in store. The path to purchase now has many forks and if your store doesn’t show up in the search results you will lose business. A mobile website and/or a mobile app simply isn’t optional anymore.

Myth #3: You Have To Have An App

It seems like everyone has apps these days. You don’t need to be one of them! Apps are better at engaging loyal customers but they are bad at attracting new ones. It’s a much bigger hassle for the consumer to download an app and only 11% of consumers notice a difference between the app platform and the mobile platform. Cut down on the clicks required for a customer to purchase your product. Instead, focus your energy on a great mobile site.

And by the way, your mobile site doesn’t have to be complicated!

Myth #4: Mobile Sites Need Snazzy Features

Load speed and basic functionality are far and away from the most important feature of your mobile site. Make your site navigation simple, make your shopping cart easy to use, and have your checkout as smooth as possible. After this, stop. Does your mobile site really need anything else? Probably not! An awkward, novelty laden site will cause some users to leave without giving you a chance.

Don’t let yourself get caught up in the hype surrounding mobile commerce. It’s not as intimidating as it sounds and it can mean significant growth for your business.