Why businesses should develop mobile first strategy
In today’s multiscreen world, mobile has become the most important medium for consumers and businesses. And this is true as well among South East Asian audiences on the BuzzCity Ad Network, where smartphone adoption among mobile surfers is high.
But the ‘mobile consumer’ is no longer synonymous with the on-the-go consumer; they’re constantly connected and, as such, empowered by choice, variety and convenience. The rise of the mobile consumer has triggered several changes to businesses – although many retailers have been slow to react.
Many more businesses are now using digital to enhance traditional business models. Just as clinics and hospitals are using mobile to send appointment reminders, banks too are using mobile to deliver personalised passwords to improve transaction security.
Mobile has of course, helped to create wholly new types of businesses and services; mobile games are a great example of this and services like Waze, that help people navigate traffic, would not be possible without mobile technology or the mobile consumer.
At the same time, mobile had helped transform existing business models to offer new digital services. Consumer electronics provider Senheng, is a prime example having evolved from a brick-and-mortar business to offer their products via internet, mobile and mobile applications. JelitaSARA is a good example of how digital has helped develop a home-based business into major enterprise through online marketing.
For success in the modern business world, mobile and the acknowledgement of its importance as a business tool must become one of the most integral components of a business growth strategy. Many have taken this step and have contributed to the growth of mobile advertising in the region. The chart below shows the increase in mobile advertising as more consumers spend more time online.
When it comes to promoting your brand, business or service, planning, creating and delivering usable and compelling content for mobile campaigns is business critical to success.
Below are some of the key strategies to consider when planning your mobile presence:
Ease of use: Make it as easy as possible for time poor consumers to find information, browse and discover products, and make purchases (securely). Those that can deliver successfully this can expect to see higher sales, a more loyal and engaged customer base, and greater levels of repeat purchases.
Tailor the content for a short-term browser: The in-app or in-site search tools should be fluid, precise, quick, and user-friendly in order to maximise on ‘short-term content’. In other words, if a user searching specifically on mobile is unable to do via the brand app or site, potential revenue is lost.
Intuitive, impactful design – to increase performance and drive user engagement; think like the mobile user and how they want to see things. Be clear and creative.
Reward loyalty: Introduce schemes to keep the customer coming back. This is a proven way of boosting profits and retaining clients. These can vary from promotions and discounts to a simple online loyalty scheme. In addition, the data generated by a loyalty scheme can offer invaluable customer insights.
With these strategies in place, and continued acknowledgement of the ever changing, and growing demographic within the mobile landscape, connected businesses can successfully increase their presence, grow their customers and boost profits.
The author, Hisham Isa is the Vice President (Marketing) of BuzzCity
