4 of the Biggest Mobile Marketing Mistakes to Avoid – Don’t Let These Potential Pitfalls Trip You Up

Users spend more than five hours a day on their smartphones, and mobile devices account for more than half of all online traffic in the U.S. These statistics provide both amazing opportunities for small businesses to reach new and existing audiences and the potential for mobile mistakes. Fortunately, App Samurai has put together a list of the four biggest mobile marketing mistakes that integrated marketers often make, and how to avoid them.

Skipping Strategy

Marketing requires planning. Without planning, all marketing efforts are essentially a stab in the dark, and success is a matter of chance. Instead, a marketing plan is critical to mobile accomplishments. Before embarking on a new marketing campaign, thoughtfully consider a strategy that looks at supporting your larger brand goals and objectives, establish an outline of what a successful mobile campaign looks like, and set measurable goals that you can later evaluate.

Failing to Recognize Your Target Audiences

Another mistake that mobile marketers sometimes make is not categorizing their audience. The variable will differ for each small business by whether they are a current target or a potential one, age, interests, income, and likely behaviors that open them up for engagement with your organization. Understanding your audience and where they spend their time on their devices will help you select the best mobile channel for delivering your message: SMS, email, social media. The right message on the right channel at the right time is good-but when sent to the right audience, you have a much better chance of converting a target into a customer.

Not Optimizing Your Message

Once you've strategized and identified your audience, it's time to optimize your messaging. Your communications to the audience should be clear and easy to understand. Consider personalized messages for an experience that could separate you from your competitors. Make an attractive offer and invite your audience to take an action.

Marketing Without a Plan for Retaining Users

So, what happens after you get someone to click on your mobile ad or visit your landing page? Research shows that without ongoing engagement that leads will be lost. It's critical that your organization have a plan for building a strong relationship with the target audience beyond driving traffic. Reflect on the ways in which you can create value for users and generate ongoing interest.

Conclusion

A mobile marketing plan is made up of a lot of moving parts. Integrated marketers who want to cultivate success will avoid common mobile marketing mistakes and instead pursue a more purposeful approach to campaigns. Start with a well-constructed strategy with clear objectives that will help you identify and segment your target audience in ways that will allow you to effectively reach them. Once you've laid the groundwork, optimize your message for the best response, and plan in advance for how you will retain your audience once they've responded to your initial calls to action. Continuous engagement will help you build a long-term relationship for ongoing success.