Let’s say you see someone wearing a really cool pair of shoes and you want to get the same pair. What’s the first thing that you’re going to do? Unless you’re actually walking distance from a shoe store, you would probably take out your smartphone and search for it online. Once you find it, you’ll add it to cart and make a purchase right then and there.

This is how a lot of people do their shopping today. About four in five Americans shop online, and more than half of them do it on their mobile devices. It’s easy and convenient. Many of us do not just use our phones and tablets for communication, social media, and gaming but also for searching for products, comparing prices, and shopping.

For this reason, mobile marketing plays a big role in the success of both small and big businesses.

Mobile Marketing –

In a nutshell, mobile marketing is a digital marketing strategy that targets a specific audience – the ones on their mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. Mobile marketing is done either via social media, email, apps, and more.

How Important is Mobile Marketing?

According to Statista, just last year, 52.2% of all web traffic all over the world was mobile-phone generated. As of July this year, there are 3.9 billion mobile internet users worldwide. Eighty-nine percent of buyers are more likely to recommend a business or brand if they had a positive mobile experience, while 46% say they won’t purchase again if they have a negative and interruptive mobile experience.

These are numbers that should not be ignored. As more and more people shop online via their mobile gadgets, mobile marketing has become a necessity in ecommerce.

Also Read – How to Choose A Visual Commerce Platform For Your Ecommerce Business?

Advantages of Mobile Marketing for E-Commerce –

1. Instant Access –

Mobile marketing is comparably faster than other digital marketing approaches in many aspects. Not only does one have instant access to it whenever it’s needed. A consumer can quickly check an image or watch a video on mobile without the fuss of having to take out a laptop or plug a desktop.

2. Streamlined design –

Because websites optimized for mobile have simpler designs, all kinds of content are viewed easily by users. All the information a prospective customer could want is just a tap and swipe away on their mobile phones, making things more user-friendly.

3. Easier Payment Methods –

As banks now support and even encourage mobile banking, most payment methods are now processed through mobile devices, too. This makes the whole buying process more convenient and less time-consuming for shoppers.

4. Larger Audience –

There are more smartphone owners than laptop or desktop owners. Not everybody has access to or makes use of a computer on a daily basis. But most people now have smartphones and use their mobile devices constantly throughout the entire day. Having a mobile marketing strategy in place allows you to reach a wider audience with ease.

5. Optimized Social Media Platforms –

It’s hard to imagine mobile marketing without social media. There’s a reason why businesses, both startups, and more established companies, find their home on social media platforms. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other social media channels are optimized for mobile. Users find it easier to use their phones than their computers to access and spend hours on social media. Mobile marketing allows you to make the most of social media to engage your audience and boost sales.

Disadvantages of Mobile Marketing –

1. Privacy and Security –

Privacy and security may be one of the very few cons of mobile marketing. One needs to check their privacy and security settings to ensure that important information, including their location and financial details are not compromised. Hacking is still a risk that hasn’t been completely eliminated.

2. Screen Variety –

With all the different brands and models of mobile devices, screen sizes vary. It is therefore difficult if not impossible to have one online shop that works perfectly for all screen sizes. Thankfully, there are some online tools that you can use to see how your website actually appears on a number of mobile devices. You can then make necessary changes to improve how your site looks on the majority of those screens.

3. Landing Page Optimization for Mobile –

Many businesses still have trouble optimizing their landing pages for mobile. Smartphone screens, especially, are tricky because even a responsive design for a landing page that would work seamlessly between laptops, desktops, and tablets, may not exactly work as intended on a much smaller smartphone screen.

4. Navigation Limitations –

Even with the emergence of phablets, website or online shop navigation can still be tricky on mobile. This is more so on smaller 5-inch screens. Unlike with a desktop mouse or a laptop trackpad with a tiny pointer to help you accurately navigate, mobile users only have their fingers, and it’s so easy to tap on the wrong link or button. Marketers also have to choose carefully what content to show on a limited screen size because they just can’t show all the content they want on mobile.

5. Functional App or Website Required –

While a fully functioning website is a requirement even for laptop or desktop users, it is even more important for mobile users who are less patient when it comes to loading speed.. Additionally, a highly-efficient app for e-commerce is becoming more of a necessity than an option now because mobile users prefer to use dedicated apps than their mobile browsers for checking out products and making purchases.

Now that you know the pros and cons, you would want to know how you can make the most of mobile marketing for your e-commerce business. Here are some of the best mobile marketing practices that you should keep in mind.

Make sure you have a responsive or adaptive design. This is a no-brainer, but there are still some online shops out there that are not optimized for mobile viewing. What you can do is check if your site is mobile-friendly using this tool. There are also some tools or web builder templates that you can use to give your website a more adaptive design. Most of these tools are easy to use and don’t even require web design knowledge. Of course, the best way is to have experts create an e-commerce mobile app for you!

Make it simple and user-friendly. Even with the ease of use that mobile devices offer, no one wants a complicated design, especially on such a small screen. Also, remember how you feel about popups as a consumer. You are not fond of them, so why should your audience be? Make every visit to your page or your app a pleasant experience for mobile users.

Check out how Amazon designed for mobile in a way that their call-to-actions are always in an accessible zone.

Structure your content in shorter paragraphs. Nobody likes big blocks or walls of text. Shorter paragraphs are easier on the eyes and won’t scare your audience away. Even if the content is of the same length, having shorter paragraphs will help keep your audience on your site for much longer.

Steer clear of big, bright, and bold text colors. When it comes to text, nothing beats the classic black and white combo. As a reader, you know how painful to your eyes those red and yellow texts are. Providing optimal visual experience should be one of your goals when it comes to mobile marketing.

Offer a hassle-free checkout process. Even if you provide your audience with a smooth buying journey, things could still go awry if you make your customers jump through hoops to check out items on your shop. Make the checkout process as easy as you possibly can so your customers will experience no trouble and won’t change their mind about their purchase.

Conclusion –

Mobile marketing is here to stay and whether you like it or not, it has changed the way e-commerce business is done. So make sure that you take advantage of all the benefits mobile marketing offers and don’t be left behind.

Author Bio –

Naida Alabata is a digital marketer with a vast experience in social media, digital marketing, SEO, web design & development, and business development. She’s also the editorial-in-chief for startupcredo.com.

Also Read – How Data Scraping can be Helpful for Businesses?