PUT. DOWN. YOUR. PHONE.

Sometimes I feel like I need to yell it through at cone at my husband when we get a rare date night together.

But I'm just as guilty. As soon as the TV goes on and my butt sits down for the night, I find myself looking things up online. Things I want to buy, places I want to go, random facts.

It's no secret that mobile marketing matters now more than ever before. The vast majority of internet searches and browsing time is now conducted via smartphone, meaning that if you're not communicating with customers on mobile, you going to be left behind with your competitors soaring.

Mobile marketing is absolutely key for businesses of all shapes and sizes to master. Not only is it necessary, but mobile marketing also has a number of advantages over more traditional forms of marketing. 

1. Mobile Marketing for Beginners: Optimize Your Site for Mobile

The first step you need to take before reaching customers online is to look at your website and see if it is mobile-friendly.

Does the content load quickly on a smartphone? Is it easy to navigate via a touch-screen? Is all of your content clearly visible on smaller devices?

People are most likely going to access your site on their phones, so a mobile user experience should be central to your web development process. 

2. Local is Everything

Locally-focused marketing is key to establishing a reliable customer base. Fortunately, mobile marketing is perfectly geared to business with a local focus.

For example, if your website or app decides to use location services, you will be able to set up a geo-fence.

Geofencing allows you to send push notifications to potential customers whenever they are in a specific area, something that has been proven to be an effective marketing tool.

The other day, I was sitting at a meet up for entrepreneurs and the real estate agents were talking about knocking door to door in their areas to get business. My jaw dropped. UGH! Why? Online marketing with specific targeting is so much more time and cost effective than foot traffic.

3. Gear Your Emails Towards Mobile

Any digital marketing expert knows that emails are still a reliable way to reach customers. Email marketing now depends on mobile-friendliness, so it is imperative that all of your emails work well on a smartphone.

Don't underestimate how many people read your email when they are in the bathroom. You know it's true. 

The first thing to do is ensure all of your emails are light on content and can load instantly.

Also, pay attention to your email headers and open sentences. A smartphone will typically show the first 5-10 words of an email before you click, so make sure they are eye-grabbing words. Don't give it all away in the first line. 

4. Let Micro-Moments Be Your Guide 

Google recently began using the term 'micro-moments' to describe how smartphone users behave on their devices.

Basically, a micro-moment' is one of those everyday situations where you want to find something out and will quickly pull out your phone and do a 30-second Google search.

Consider which of these moments might bring people to your content, and optimize your site accordingly. 

For my business it's things like how to do a Facebook Live Video, explaining what SEO means, and how to get booked on stages as a speaker.

5. Market on Mobile Platforms 

Finally, make sure the bulk of your ads are appearing on mobile-specific platforms. Think social media apps like Twitter and Tik Tok, as well as news apps and gaming platforms.

You want to be where your target customer's eyeballs are. These are the places where you're most likely to grab their attention.  Not sure where to start, think about where YOU look the most when you want advice or entertainment.

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Mastering mobile marketing for beginners is just the first step towards reigniting your business. To learn more about what it takes to thrive, don't hesitate to get in touch for expert business advice.