The MMA has released Mobile Web Advertising Measurement Guidelines for the US, but what direction are B2B marketers’ mobile strategies heading this side of the pond? Maxine-Laurie Marshall investigates
Mobile marketing is the new social media, it’s been around for a few years, has now reinvented itself and is back with the promise to be cooler and more effective.
The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) recently launched its Mobile Web Advertising Measurement Guidelines for the US. While it creates standard mobile advertising guidelines roughly every six months, stateside launch of measurement guidelines implies the US has accepted it as a successful medium. But is it something more UK B2B marketers need to be considering?
You know about apps. You’ve got, or at least thought about getting, a mobile-friendly website, but what about mobile advertising? Stats from digital measurement company Comscore, reveal that over the past year the number of mobile users that accessed a social media site at least once a month increased 75 per cent to 42 million. People are using their phones more than ever, not just for social media, and mobile advertising has the potential to be extremely lucrative for B2B marketers. Indeed, it has grown considerably over the last few years. Statistics from The Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) reveal the mobile advertising market has increased by 116 per cent from 2009-2010 and is now worth £83 million.
Early days for B2B
Paul Berney, CMO and MD for EMEA at the MMA, says, “While there’s lots of evidence of mobile advertising working in B2C, it’s early days for B2B. Messaging currently works well in B2B, especially when related to customer service.” Stats from the IAB support the idea that there is a market for mobile advertising in B2B. Figures reveal the business and industrial sector has seen a rise from zero to two per cent in mobile display advertising.
Surash Patel, VP of brands and agencies at mobile marketing and advertising provider, Velti, agrees with the potential opportunities. He says, “Mobile advertising is incredibly relevant to B2B marketers as their customers and potential customers are users of this technology.” He explains it can be a useful tool for up-selling, “Of course, mobile advertising includes mobile web banners, mobile web posters, in-app advertising and SMS but these are now appearing in new context; for example, when you receive reservation confirmation, B2B marketers are presented with an opportunity to up-sell.”
Web versus mobile ads
Marketers would be right to think mobile advertising has similarities to online advertising but they’d be naïve to assume it’s virtually the same. Rob Jonas, VP & MD of InMobi Europe and Middle East says, “Many of the delivery mechanisms and associated terminology is the same between PC/web and mobile advertising, but mobile does offer a greater level of targeting and therefore complexity.” Jonas highlights how behavioural marketing can be used to achieve this level of targeting via mobile advertising. “On a mobile device the action could be to locate a retailer on a map based on your current location.”
Mobile advertising is normally comprised of mobile search, display advertising and messaging (both SMS and MMS). Berney calls mobile a much ‘richer media’ due to the creativity it allows, for example its use with augmented reality. It also allows you to take advantage of formats based on HTML5 – the most up-to-date version of the coding used to structure content on the web. Jonas says these creative advertising formats “take advantage of smartphone features, such as built-in GPS, and allow you to involve video and 3D graphics.” Essentially, mobile advertising has the power to be more engaging. But as well as being engaging, marketers are always being pressured to show return and results from their activity. However, Berney adds, “All digital channels are easier to track but with mobile, it is possible to track it down to an individual level.”
Apps, ads or a mobile site?
So where should mobile advertising sit as far as your mobile strategy is concerned? Should you be sticking with mobile apps, mobile versions of your website or should you be trying mobile advertising? Berney says, “None of the above; brands should be thinking about their business objectives and whether there is a need for them to be in the mobile space.” As with anything new it’s easy to get carried away and jump on the bandwagon. But if your audience is using mobile then you should at least consider mobile advertising.
Jonas warns B2B advertisers that their customers may be accessing more than one mobile platform so advises a presence across all three, “For a comprehensive mobile strategy, B2B marketers should build compelling offerings on application platforms and mobile sites that are relevant to their target audiences. They should then use mobile advertising to drive awareness and usage of these services to create a holistic mobile strategy.”
While there are many reasons to venture into mobile advertising, it is the voice of the agency that is shouting the loudest at the moment. Not many B2B brands are willing to sing its praises just yet. Perhaps the UK will look to the US to see how they get on with measuring their mobile advertising. However, it is always worth remembering that you need to be where your customers are, and if that’s on a mobile phone then the guidelines are out there to help you reach them.
Top tips for a mobile ad campaign
By Paul Berney, CMO and MD for EMEA at the MMA
• Ensure the campaign is contextually relevant. Offer content to users based on their needs, interests, purchasing preferences, time of day and location. Tailoring advertising or digital content will contribute vastly to the success rate of the campaign.
• Design the creative to suit the mediums and platform. The spate of affordable handsets and mobile tablets has extended the potential reach of mobile web advertising. However the increased number of devices also means fragmentation of mobile operating systems. Brands must ensure their assets are compatible with as many operating systems/platforms as possible.
• Properly maintain assets and ensure content is regularly updated. If the user experience is smooth, this will be conducive to a rich, engaging and long-term consumer/ brand dialogue.
