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Introduction
Move over traditional marketing channels, cell phones and tablets are casting a shadow that has forever changed the marketing realm. The dependence we have on our cell phones continues to provide companies the leverage they need to drive sales and increase awareness of their brands by pumping funds into their mobile marketing campaigns. This article will dive into the advantages of mobile marketing and how it has pushed ahead of traditional techniques.
Advantages over Traditional
Traditional marketing includes channels like TV, radio, print (newspapers, magazines, and brochures), billboards, mail, point of sale displays, and telemarketing. All of these are proven and effective ways to advertise products that have worked for many years. However, according to Statista (2023), the average adult spends over 4 hours a day on their cell phone and that number continues to increase year over year. Those times that people used to spend hours and hours watching television are now simultaneously watching a TV show and scrolling Facebook. Many of the ads and commercials on the TV go unnoticed now. This idea applies to most of the traditional marketing techniques as we are no longer paying attention to what is around us because we are focused on our phones. There is an article by Pombo from 2015 that explains how we have changed the way in which we consume advertising, and this aligns with my points above on traditional channels being overlooked. Although this article was from 8 years ago, it couldn’t be more true as we continue to increase mobile use year over year.
With that being said, this new way of life gives a huge advantage to mobile marketing techniques. Always having a phone in hand provides the opportunity for personalized user experiences. Companies can send tailored messages and promotions directly to a person’s phone, thus increasing the chances of conversion. Additionally, geo-targeting is a feature that uses the GPS in mobile phones to deliver a targeted ad or promotion when a user is within a certain proximity to its brick-and-mortar location. If you just so happen to be running an errand while hungry and a Taco Bell ad pops up, you might be led to grab one of their Dorito-Loco’s tacos when you normally wouldn’t have even thought of them as an option. Additionally, loyalty programs and rewards are the icing on the mobile cake. A phone number at checkout was the original way people gained points, but now some places allow those “points” to be used both in-store and online. Target is a great example of a store that took their loyalty points and connected it to their mobile app. Just another nudge on the scale for mobile marketing.
Resource: Pombo, A. (2015, January 5). Youth marketers, here’s why traditional advertising doesn’t cut it anymore… Bizcommunity; BizCommunity. https://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/347/127714.html
Mobile Marketing Constraints
With the rise of pop-up’s, push notifications, and geo-targeting, consumers can get overwhelmed quickly. Despite the many advantages of mobile marketing, there can still be some concerns and constraints lurking. Privacy and data use is a big topic which can keep consumers on their toes. According to Kovacs (2023), “Two-thirds of global consumers feel that tech companies have too much control over their data”. Ensuring that any marketing campaign/material asks for consent, has easy to find details on what information is being gathered, and clear instructions on how to opt-out is crucial. Additionally, it is hard to know which customers have unlimited data and messaging so being overly intrusive can lead to customers cutting off marketing content quickly. Courtney Kovac’s blog “6 Disadvantages of Mobile Marketing” also discusses some additional ways to make your stratagies less intrusive.
Resource: Kovacs, C. (2023). Courtney Kovacs. Startupmindset.com. https://startupmindset.com/disadvantages-of-mobile-marketing/
CITATIONS:
Pombo, A. (2015, January 5). Youth marketers, here’s why traditional advertising doesn’t cut it anymore… Bizcommunity; BizCommunity. https://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/347/127714.html
U.S.: mobile phone daily usage time 2024 | Statista. (2023). Statista; Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1045353/mobile-device-daily-usage-time-in-the-us/
Dillon Rae 
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