According to statistics recently published by eWeek, social media and mobile marketing currently go hand-in-hand. A study conducted by Millward Brown Digital found that 34 percent of shoppers used their mobile devices while in stores to perform shopping-related activities. Furthermore, 23 percent of shoppers used a social network on their mobile phone while in the store. Almost 75 percent of consumers between the ages of 18 and 44 use a social network daily.
Clearly, mobile marketing is no longer simply the future but is now very much present. One of the biggest challenges that many mobile marketers often face is understanding how consumers utilize social media on their mobile devices. This is certainly understandable, as consumers have largely developed a different relationship with their mobile devices than with other electronic devices. Consequently, the way in which consumers interact with brands on their personal devices tends to vary.
Far too often, marketers tend to assume that the behaviors they observe consumers exhibiting with other devices also holds true for mobile devices. Yet, this is not the case. Hence, marketers should try to understand how consumers interact with brands on their mobile devices, and learn how to develop special campaigns for tapping into the power of social media via mobile marketing.
While consumers do use social media for socializing and entertainment, the report from Millward Brown found that more than half of consumers who access social networks while in-store do so in order to obtain feedback from their peers regarding products and brands. This means that marketers must learn how to funnel the insights gained from consumer use of social media on mobile devices into effective marketing strategies.
Among the most overlooked yet important steps in effective social media marketing in the mobile domain is permission. Relationships with customers are still built on trust. In fact, consumers have become more cynical today than in the past. In order to reach consumers via social media in their personal spaces, i.e. their mobile devices, it is imperative that you take the first step of asking their permission. Obtaining the consent of your customers is vital to establishing trust. Mobile users are aware of how accessible and vulnerable they become via their smartphones and tablets. Do not assume that you have permission. Ask for it and when it is granted, treat it with the respect that it deserves.
Social Media and Mobile Marketing: A Marriage Made in Heaven
