Mobile Marketing for Ecommerce

E-commerce presents a convenient way of shopping that many of us would find difficult to live without. Sites such as Amazon, Etsy, and Wish are all examples of e-commerce stores. Mobile marketing plays a crucial part in the buying process.    These stores do well because they offer convenience. Convenience is a big driver in decision-making; it’s why you’ll find businesses opting for a VoIP vs. traditional phone system or why you might choose to have your groceries delivered to your door rather than go to the supermarket yourself.  

What is ecommerce, and where does mobile marketing fit in?

Ecommerce, short for electronic commerce, refers to the activities of buying and selling goods online.   There are a few different types:  

• Business to consumer (B2C): this type is the most widespread mode of ecommerce and involves interactions between a business and its customers. 
• Business to business (B2B): as the name suggests, b2b ecommerce refers to a business selling to or buying goods from another business.
• Direct to consumer (D2C): in this model, companies sell products directly to consumers without the involvement of a wholesaler or retailer. 
• Consumer to consumer (C2C): this refers to a transaction occurring between two consumers, such as on eBay or Etsy. 
• Consumer to business (C2B): this type involves individuals selling to businesses, such as influencers selling their services for influencer marketing.

    In this article, we’ll mainly be talking about marketing in relation to B2C ecommerce, though many points will translate to other types.    It’s no secret that marketing is an essential part of any business, whether it be online or in physical stores. There are many facets to it, however, including mobile marketing. Now, when we talk about mobile marketing, we’re referring to the act of marketing your brand or business with mobile phones specifically in mind.    Though it may not seem important, it’s an important part of your marketing strategy, and getting it right could allow you to reap both short-term and long-term benefits. One look at top ecommerce trends in the US, for example, will tell you just how important it is to get your mobile marketing strategy right.  

Why is mobile marketing important for ecommerce?

We know that marketing is crucial to a business looking to succeed. It allows a business to increase their target audience’s awareness of their brand, as well as engage them and assist them in making a buying decision.  It’s also great for upholding a positive image, staying ahead of the competition, and remaining relevant, which is something that can be difficult to do in today’s fast-paced world.   Having a marketing strategy specifically for mobiles allows businesses to combine these benefits with the wider reach that handheld devices offer. Mobile usage has skyrocketed in the past few years. Accordingly, the rise of mobile marketing has followed.  

How to get started with mobile marketing for ecommerce

  As with many aspects of business, the best way to approach mobile marketing is to develop a strategy. Formulating a plan before taking action will help you figure out which techniques, tools, and processes to use to achieve your goals.   The following are things to consider when looking to successfully develop a mobile marketing strategy for ecommerce.  

Goals and objectives

One of the first things to do is set your goals and objectives. These will give you clear aims, which will, in turn, inform the decisions you make regarding the techniques and tools you implement to carry out your mobile marketing strategy.   For example, if one of your aims is to increase awareness of your brand, focusing your mobile marketing efforts on social media would make more sense than focusing on marketing automation. Having a clearly defined set of goals saves you from spending time and resources on an inefficient strategy.  

Mobile buyer persona

A buyer persona is a profile that’s backed by research and depicts your target consumer. It can include basic information such as:   

• Age
• Gender
• Occupation
• Location

  Buyer personas can go much deeper than this, with information about your target audience’s values and fears, for example. Having a buyer persona will help you to better target your ideal customer. Instead of relying on a vague idea, this will concretize your audience and allow you to develop a marketing strategy that is tailored around them.  

Feedback

  Implementing your mobile marketing strategy is only half the battle; you have to make sure it works. More specifically, you need to determine what exact elements of it work and what needs to be improved or perhaps rethought.  Getting your consumers’ feedback is one of the best ways to do this.   Though many will provide their feedback unprompted, there are numerous ways in which you can encourage it. For example, you could send out a link to a survey, carry out a social media contest, or offer an incentive in return for feedback.   To make the collection of feedback even easier, consider getting an 800 number for your business that customers can use when they want to reach you. This will facilitate an avenue of communication and increase the likelihood of getting feedback.  

Choose strategies carefully

You need to decide what kind of mobile marketing you’re going to focus on. Ideally, you should offer your consumers a distinct experience from that which they would have on their desktop or in-store and compound on the convenience feature of shopping online.   The following section includes a list of elements you might choose to adopt as part of your strategy.  

6 ways to improve your mobile marketing strategy

 

1. Mobile-optimized content

Let’s start with what’s probably the first thing that comes to mind when talking about mobile marketing.   Mobile-optimized content refers to a well-designed, user-friendly, and responsive site. Given that the name of the game is convenience, your customers aren’t going to wait about for your website to load or take the time to decipher the text written in a font that’s too small or difficult to read.   Such mistakes are a surefire way of sending your consumers to your competitors.  Instead, have digestible content that’s straightforward, with plain language and a clear call to action. Your site should make it easy for the customer to access relevant information, locate what they need, and purchase it.   Remember, continuity and brand consistency are also important here. While ensuring optimized content on mobile, also make sure that the continuity and consistency of your brand image are not sacrificed in the process.   

1. Optimize for voice search

Carrying on with the overarching theme of convenience, it’s much easier (and quicker) to search by voice than it is to type. Offering this feature to your customers is one way to get ahead of the competition. It also works particularly well because people are already familiar with talking on their phones.   Optimizing for voice search does mean that you’ll have to tailor some of your content. For example, you may want to change the titles of your posts or blogs so that they reflect the kind of queries consumers have about the product you’re selling.  

1. Email and SMS marketing campaigns 

Though it’s tempting to throw everything you have at optimizing your website, don’t underestimate the power of emails and messages. Email and SMS campaigns allow you to maintain a connection with your consumers and provide them with tailor-made content that will (hopefully) grab their attention.    However, there’s an art to respecting the fine line between successful email and SMS marketing and plain old badgering. Don’t send too many messages or emails to turn readers into buyers, and as we mentioned, keep the content easy to read and straightforward.    The great thing with this type of marketing is that you can automate it and save a lot of time without affecting effectiveness.   

1. Social media

Social media is a formidable weapon in your arsenal and cannot be ignored. Your presence on platforms such as Instagram or TikTok could reach target customers who would otherwise have never come across your brand.    What’s more, a good social media marketing campaign can dramatically increase your reputation and give you the opportunity to increase consumer engagement.   

1. Use video

What’s easier? Reading a chunk of text or watching a two-minute video? When looking into topics such as ERP software for Shopify, an individual is much more likely to watch a video providing the necessary information than to read a page filled with text that they don’t fully understand.   Videos, for the most part, make information easier to digest and are simply a more convenient way of obtaining what you need. This is why you should consider delivering (some) content in video format. This will not only appeal to your existing customers but also attract new ones.  

1. Apps

If you want to take your mobile marketing to the next level, you can consider creating your own app that complements your business. If you provide softphone services, for example, you could develop an app on which customers can receive 24/7 support and answers to queries, as well as gain easy access to FAQs such as “What are the benefits of a softphone vs. hard phone?”.    An app like this not only boosts your customer service, it also increases your reputation and the likelihood of being referred to friends and family by existing customers.    

Conclusion

Ecommerce is a widespread phenomenon characterized by convenience. Carefully crafted mobile marketing campaigns compound on this by offering consumers the ultimate convenience of shopping online on their handheld devices, all from the comfort of their own homes. Successful mobile marketing for your ecommerce will boost brand awareness, drive consumer engagement, and increase sales.   Just remember to set your goals and figure out which strategies suit you best. Good luck!