Mobile is the new web. This means that there is a higher number of mobile web users versus standard desktop users. This means that your target audience, your core customer, is now engaging via his or her cell phone. With over 280 million mobile phone subscribers, it’s negligent to not get involved in a mobile marketing campaign. Here’s what you need to know.

1. Resolution – Standard desktop screen resolution is 1280 x 1024 pixels and iPhone is at 320 x 480 pixels, which makes it really hard for mobile users to grasp large complex websites on their small screen. Simplify your site or have a mobile-friendly one. The same goes for newsletter settings.
2. Analytics – Track mobile analytics with the right software. Try Adobe Omniture.
3. Site Content – Site content and newsletter content should be synchronized for easy mobile use. See if your platform has a plugin or speak with your graphic designer. Most graphic designers can solve this problem between $300-$1000 on average, depending on your needs.
4. Mobile Ads – Mobile advertising is a booming market with skyrocketing growth rates. Mobile ads, especially through SEM campaigns, need to include mobile-specific copy and extensions. Mobile ads should be treated uniquely for various devices, including tablets/iPads/kindles versus mobile phones. On that note, each needs to be tracked uniquely.
5. Get Local – Consumers perform about 3 billion monthly local searches. Better quality mobile phones are specifically equipped with local search functions (versus desktop computers). Make sure your content, for both your static web pages and blogs posts, are customized based on local listings and keywords.
6. Text Messages – If you can’t afford or don’t want to invest too heavily in mobile marketing and optimization, then start out with an SMS campaign. A text message campaign is very affordable and easy to implement. Text messages can be used for more than just marketing; try it for polls, voting and special offers. It also is more far reaching since not everyone has a smart phone but everyone with a phone has text messaging capabilities.

Mobile Marketing Checklist

While all industries will benefit from mobile marketing, for some, there’s no question about it. It is surprising how much of a tech and software knowledge gap there is for PR firms and marketing agencies. If you’re wondering whether mobile marketing matters to you, see if you can check one of these categories:

__ You’re in Advertising. (You’re responsible for buying advertising, managing a digital advertising agency or working with publishers.)

__ You’re an Agency. (You’re responsible for bridging the gap between digital and traditional media.)

__ You’re in Politics. (You’re responsible for geo-targeting voter outreach in a local/national campaign.)

The Future of Mobile Marketing

Marketing is evolving, and with it the entire ad industry is being revolutionized into a more symbiotic relationship. Ads are no longer an affront, blatantly parading across us in distasteful desperation. New ads are smart ads, made ever so subtle with the social web. Ads discreetly make their quick appearance across social platforms, as buttons or banners in the free tools we’re graciously afforded the ability to use, and as crafty posts between our favorite streaming TV shows.

Mobile ads are taking a cue from this trend with offering users the ability to accept adverts. One idea suggests users will accept mobile ads in exchange for phone credits or free minutes – with 74% percent of survey participants enthusiastically supporting such a move.

Moves like this are success because they’re based on give and take relationships. The other popular mobile trend, mobile contests, should also be based on this principle.