Does mobile feature in your marketing mix? If not, you’re potentially missing a serious opportunity to engage consumers. According to Forrester Research you are likely to be in the minority, 3 out of 4 marketers have suggested that they will be investing in mobile as a marketing vehicle in 2011. 

So, why should you add mobile to your marketing mix in 2011?

First it is important to gain a view of the mobile landscape.

With increasing numbers of customers turning more and more frequently to their mobile for their every day needs – some 14 million are active mobile Internet users, and almost a quarter of total time spent online is now via a mobile device. Mobile is set to overtake fixed online (PC) to become the primary way that many consumers access the Internet.

The market penetration of Smartphones is still relatively low – Nielson recently reported that less than a quarter of mobile devices are actually Smartphones, iPhone less than 5%. Although increasing numbers of consumers are buying Smartphones the majority of mobile Internet users today, over 60%, are not using Smartphones.

Despite all the press, Applications have been a disastrous investment for many organisations. Many investing huge sums in developing applications but have very little to show for their efforts. Most have been drawn by the ‘hype’ and ‘cool’, failing to adopt a strategic view of the market. A blinked view towards applications means many have simply over looked the mobile web. Less than 3% of organisations today have a website that can be viewed on a mobile device – including a Smartphone

Mobile web is starting to command the attention of marketers, after all that is where the consumers are. The vast majority of mobile online activity is web based. The challenge for many organisations is to recognise that the consumer’s requirements are typically very different to the fixed online environment and often they are not out and about or mobile.

So where should you start? Full article from Mobileweb Company: Here.

In response to a post on Forum Oxford.

The mobile web is going to be bigger that the PC web because there are simple more of us with access, the mobile always with us and turned on. Mobile will be the first point of access to the internet environment for many moving forward, rather than mutually exclusive the mobile device and PC will always likely be complimentary. For some activities a PC is always likely to be a better device to use.

Context is important. Although not always the case, but certainly the majority of times, mobile needs are quite specific. Consumers are typically looking to find something and do something. When mobile for many an actionable outcome is a pre-requisite. To ‘Find’ opposed to ‘Search’ an underlying motivation – immediacy often important, patience and tolerance far lower.   

Mobile Internet is not the same as the PC Internet. The context is often very different.

I recently wrote on the blog about the potential winners in mobile;

“The winners will be those not simply with content but those who can recognise and deliver a contextual, relevant tailored offering to a mobile consumer. It will be the ones that ‘get mobile’; those that deliver to the device capabilities, present the expected features, use location well, support social and viral capabilities, add value through marketing and advertising.”….

“I find it surprising that brands and media owners do not treat mobile differently. Ten years ago most saw the opportunity Internet presented and were quick to develop specialist teams that could take forward viable business plans. Not to approach mobile in the same way is like suggesting radio programmes translate well to television. The channels have very different characteristics and capabilities.”

The answer is not transcoding. In my view transcoding simply recognises the lack of optimised content for the mobile user. It is a very poor short-term solution. Why? Many of the transcoded sites do not support actions – it is impossible to contact the business or undertake the call to action. If many more businesses were actually aware of the impact of transcoding I believe that there would be a greater movement to stop it being applied.

The important element for many businesses is to reflect on the value that mobile could deliver and build for it – not just sit back. For many businesses mobile interaction will become primary, PC secondary. Their internet strategy and investment should recognise this.

For a demonstration on how mobile can play a valuable part in your digital strategy get in touch.