Back to school season: Trends for mobile marketers

Back to school season, what an exciting time for everyone!
 

Summer vacations are over and people have already started creating their I-want-to-buy lists.  Recent research is protesting a very loud message: mobile is here to stay. And it is here to change consumer lives and habits, too.  Google Insights show that more than 50% of back-to-school  shoppers use a mobile device (smartphone or tablet) while shopping to get price comparisons, inventory availability, or just directions.

Mobile is the most trusted friend for users and can be a brand’s most valuable ally, as well, it functioning as a bridge for a seamless omni channel experience. The rapid growth of mobile commerce is here to take down the e-commerce and it’s clear that mobile display is the new CRM. Mobile commerce is being driven by the demand for applications, the rapid adoption of online commerce thanks to the safety and technological advances that have given wireless handheld devices.  At the same time, the concept of loyalty has also been updated, as the points-for-purchases system is no longer efficient. Users need rewards based on their actions and engagement to create a repeated interaction pattern and stay loyal to a brand.

We have gathered the 5 trends you just need to know about for the upcoming season and how you can use them as a part of an integrated marketing strategy:

Smart Data & Targeted Segments: Data is not enough, it has to be smart! Plastic card transactions are generating tons of data and financial organizations keep collecting data on consumers, but little do they know on how to put them in good use. Behaviour and consumer data for users on and off- line interactions and preferences can provide great insight on the creation of actionable user personas for better and meaningful segmentation.

At the end of the day, marketing for back to school campaigns gets down to three particular segments; Parents,  going “back to school” digital teens and millennias going “back to college”. Although research has show that the aforementioned constitute tree distinct categories, they all can be effectively targeted via mobile through programmatic ad buying, given that advertising IDs are really more sticky than cookies.  Especially for millennials and digital teens there is also the fact that they cannot be targeted elsewhere, with TV viability rates in decline and time spend on desktop at universal low.  

Push Notifications & In-app messaging: Bulk sms are officially out this season. Push notifications are the thing! They offer countless possibilities, as they come in various formats to choose the one that serves your brand best. You can target specific audience segments or users in a specific location. With In-app messaging you can ensure that the message delivered stays on top of your users’ minds and will be recalled when they need it.

Native & Rich Ad Formats: Native ad Formats are a sweet spot for mobile marketers! Now open to the public and not for niche brands and publishers anymore, they are less intrusive than display advertising. Mobile native formats take advantage of the surrounding user experience and ensure that the message delivered is relevant to what the user wants. With a variety of limited, although effective formats to choose from- newly introduced formats such as newsfeed, full-page and loader - brands deliver their messages in the most effective way, depending on the publisher.

When it comes to engagement, the answer is Rich Ad formats. Utilizing interactivity, mobile users are involved with the advertisement, therefore they feel more connected to the brand. Interactive quizzes and games, with elements of intrigue, challenge and reward offer a compelling experience, as the concept of gamification has come to redefine the way mobile marketers perceive engagement.

Digital payments : Digital payments have become increasingly popular due to the widespread use of the internet-based shopping and banking. Brands using digital transactions have the ability to observe customers’ buying behavior, so they can target on their loyalty and engagement. This digital payment system allows users to make multiple purchases online easily through their smartphones while there is no need to type their personal information every time.

Digital payments capabilities, also provide marketers with a new way to think about and deliver coupons to consumers by utilising consumer and behaviour insights. Brands are embracing mobile as a way to deliver content to consumers, the moment that they need it, which has revived the coupons’ popularity among new audiences. They're not just discounts! Coupons tailored to each user’s individual needs can include different pitches, depending on their target audience, providing compelling incentives.

Buy buttons : Buy button is a recently introduced feature that enables customers to buy products from their mobile with just one click! The use of the “Button” practically eliminates middlemen, as they can be slow and costly, while gives direct sales a boost in total sales. It also contributes in the reductions of in-store operating costs, while it can be useful for brands that do not even own branded physical stores. At the same time they're more protected against fraud and they are proven to sell more products, faster.

Beacons Technology: We have entered an era when new technology entries are increasingly used to upgrade customer experiences. As such, Beacons technology uses Bluetooth signals to target audiences in a location-based context. When combined with creative ideas, like the ones we recently saw from industry influences, with the likes of Coca-Cola and Carrefour, users get a unique in-store customer experience. The added benefit is that Beacon Tech allows for better user targeting based on different behavior and consumer data, as well! What’s more, the campaign data collected can be archived and used as insight for re-targeting in new campaigns!

It is now the time to update your mobile marketing strategy! Consumers are more  technology and mobile-savvy than ever and your brand needs to keep up if you want to earn their long time loyalty. Implementing a mixture of the above trends is guaranteed to leverage the mobile experience for your users and upgrade the status of your brand alltogether.