Guest blog by Nick Rojas
Nick is a writer, entrepreneur, and consultation with a passion for emerging technology and amplification strategies to help businesses succeed. He currently resides in Southern California, with his German Shepherd, Pesto. Check him out on Twitter @nickarojas
Today, more and more people are relying on mobile technology - cell phones, tablets, and laptops - for everyday life than ever before, and this trend is only growing. Almost everyone has a cell phone, and many people rely on theirs to socialize with friends and family, and to keep life organized. Professionally, the use of mobile technology is expanding as more jobs require travel or are simply worked from home (or wherever the employee happens to be). This provides countless opportunities for the tech-savvy entrepreneur to reach out and introduce themselves to potential clients. Mobile marketing is the biggest major trend in advertising. Here’s how to use it to your advantage.
Mobile Screen Size
The thing that changes everything about marketing to a mobile phone or tablet is the size of the screen and how it is organized. Since this technology is handheld, any marketing aimed to it needs to take this into account. At least 53% of emails are checked on mobile devices, so you want to say as much as you can in the space afforded you by the screen. You have to convince the user to be interested in seeing more rather than just deleting your marketing. Most mobile email apps show the sender, subject, and first few words of text, so to convince users to open your email, you have to say something compelling in these sections. Using the user’s name in the subject grabs attention. The sender’s email address should also include a name rather than a generic title. These personal touches make it more likely that the email will be opened and looked at.
Scrolling Down
Once the email is open, the next order is to persuade the reader to look at the whole email. Since the smaller formats only allow a certain amount on the screen, your layout needs to reflect this. Too many images, or images that take too long to load or don’t turn up at all might deter scrolling down. Catchy text needs to be interesting enough to continue scrolling. It isn’t just about making the layout look pretty - that’s just the beginning. Accessibility is more important, because the objective is to keep them interested until the end.
Copy Text
In most email lists on mobile devices, the first thing a potential customer is going to see about your brand is the “From,” “Subject,” and first line of text, so extra attention should be paid to these elements to reel them in, but you have to follow up with an email that compels them to act by buying your brand. Say what you have to say, and only what you have to say. The email’s copy should be concise and to the point. Length should be avoided, but even a focused lengthy message can deliver, depending on your market. Your purpose is to persuade them to click the links you are sending them.
Accessible Links
Everyone can relate to the “fat-finger” syndrome of not being able to click a link on a mobile device because it is too small. Effective mobile marketing is all about space. Despite the small screen, and despite the copy, lots of “white space” in the background and plenty of room for links is better for mobile users. The link is the whole purpose of the email campaign, so you want to make sure it is accessible, and can be used easily.
Awesome mobile marketing means planning for the types of devices people use. Testing your ad campaign on various mobile devices can tell you whether your campaign is going to work or not. Following these tips can make sure your ad campaign passes every time!