Marketing to go: mobile advertising

Three quarters of all mobile phones sold are capable of connecting to the internet, and the number of people who take advantage of this function to shop for goods and services online is constantly increasing. Thanks to these developments, smartphones are slowly becoming a portable replacement for the desktop computer, posing interesting new challenges for marketers. Desktop internet advertising and mobile advertising cannot be considered in the same league; the latter has transformed into an entirely separate entity with its own set of rules, defined by a smaller display space and limited options, among other things. At the same time, mobile advertising has a far greater proximity to the consumer – after all, most of us have our smartphones within arm’s reach most of the time. The real task is finding the right way to make a mobile advertisement appear both attractive and sophisticated so that it’s still perfectly adjusted to the mobile environment and is acceptable to the consumer.

Mobile advertising occurs over a range of different channels. Besides the obvious opportunities this presents for advertising on mobile browsers and free apps, it’s also relevant for different communication channels, i.e. instant messengers and text messages. Advertisers can also place multimedia advertisements on various forms of mobile video and TV applications.

The different channels of communication in mobile advertising at a glance:

• Mobile web
• Mobile applications
• Mobile messaging
• Mobile video/TV
• Text messages (SMS/MMS)

Overlay ads or pop-ups are perceived as a disturbance by mobile browsers; this is because disturbing the user’s activity is exactly what they are designed to do. While embedding mobile ads in editorial content isn’t obtrusive, banners appear more cumbersome and bulky, interrupting the natural flow of reading. Even if this kind of advertising is designed to appear more subtle and natural, it’s still noticed by the user. The consumer then makes a conscious decision as to whether they want to read your ad or not. You should therefore ensure the contents of your ads suit the needs of the reader. 

Given the reduced screen size, mobile ads are always far more present than their desktop counterparts; this can either come across as annoying or lead to high ad impressions, depending on the quality of your design. Effective mobile advertising is often customized (i.e. varied, adapted to suit different locations). Extracting useful information from GPS systems (i.e. geodata, weather forecasts) also allows marketers to zero in on specific regions, target groups and situations, so that their ads can be rolled out in a controlled manner that is precisely tailored to their target audience.

Interaction with the target audience is a trump card in the world of mobile advertising. The different mobile devices facilitate a variety of techniques to reach out to customers directly, stimulating concrete actions. This new form of interactive advertising opens doors to unique and innovative concepts with a playful feel. This results in a strong user engagement, an increasing appeal, and positive recall ratings in the long-term.

When it comes to the advantages of mobile advertising, the strengths of the medium itself are plain to see. As smartphones and tablets become an increasingly integral part of our daily lives, a higher degree of accessibility is created, along with strong opportunities for customizing campaigns with relatively low scattering loss. Real-time interaction is also possible. Users can react and interact with advertisers over their smartphone with no media disruption. Mobile communication also enables an affordable kind of direct advertising.

But of course, the medium also has its disadvantages. The small screen, the private environment, and the intensive use can lead to users quickly becoming irritated with the ads. Making an effective mobile advertisement is always a balancing act of reaching out to the target audience without invading their space with annoying ads. These limitations, caused by the user interface, also have an influence on the ad’s design. It’s not always possible or logical to use large images and long texts on small, portable devices, which forces advertisers to think of creative new ways to get their message out.