Mobile Marketing & Email Marketing

Mobile marketing, as the name indicates, refers to digital marketing that utilizes the versatile medium now in the hands of almost every notable consumer - the Mobile Device. It involves communication with audiences through content-rich modes, on these devices and their concomitant networks.

This is only a logical progression to mobile users overtaking desktop users in 2014, and will continue for as long as mobile devices remain the most popular mode of communication and web usage.

Various forms of Mobile Marketing :

  • SMS
  • In-App
  • In-game
  • Mobile Web marketing
  • Bluetooth Advertising
  • Location-based Advertising
  • WhatsApp Marketing


SMS marketing

Based on the relative cheapness of SMS (Short Message Service), a number of companies began using this mode to communicate with mobile users.

In time, organisations and consumers realized the pros and cons of this medium and this led to laws governing SMS marketing over the world. Now there are established guidelines for the use of this mobile marketing channel.

Mobile marketing via SMS is still growing in our country, though it is already an advanced marketing model in western countries. SMS marketing led to the development of shortcode-related marketing practices, allowing for consumer interaction and feedback. Over the past few years mobile shortcodes have been increasingly popular as a new channel to engage the mobile consumer. E.g.: 58888 of Indiatimes. These agencies use short codes effectively to communicate with their mobile audiences.

A cheaper alternative to shortcode is longcode, which is nothing but a specific mobile number dedicated to an activity, but synced with a back-end CMS (Content Management System) for better customer feedback management. Longcodes are also cheaper for the consumer to respond to. The back-end CMS works with short codes as well.

MMS marketing

An extension of the SMS marketing mode, MMS mobile marketing allows marketers to show slideshows, images, text, audio, and video. MMS (Multimedia Message Service) has picked up since the time colour screen mobile phones were introduced to the world, allowing for a more creative mode of communication. The usage and opportunities of MMS marketing continue to grow each day, since this mode is more versatile than SMS, with far more features to utilize.


In-game marketing

Some of the major trends in mobile gaming right now are interactive real-time 3D games, multiplayer games, and social networking games. While this gives us a sense that we are moving towards a more complex and more sophisticated market, the casual games market is the entry point for mobile marketing that is growing fast. Brands can now send messages / advertising within mobile games, or even sponsor entire games. And since these gaming platforms are so popular, there are a considerable number of prospective customers being made aware of the products that are the subjects of the many in-game advertisements.


Mobile Web marketing

With better mobile technology and the surge of social media, web usage from mobile phones is growing at a phenomenal pace. Display advertising on web pages accessed by mobile devices is a growing business and an excellent marketing opportunity. This medium brings about a new challenge to the communication business and the results can be nothing short of excellent with better ROI. This format has already spawned many mobile advertising networks. Yahoo and Google are leading the way.


Bluetooth marketing

This has not really been a huge success in our country yet. But, with the rise of mall culture, and higher disposable incomes leading to purchase of more sophisticated handsets, Bluetooth marketing is here to stay. This technology requires a "hotspot" that basically communicates with a mobile user whose bluetooth is on when he/she is passing the hotspot. On connecting, the hotspot software interacts with the mobile user and brand engagement happens. Big brands are already trying this technology in India.


Location-based marketing

This is service dependent on mobile network providers, who send information and advertising to their subscribers based on their location. This can be a boon for the local retail businesses who are looking for prospective customers who live in the vicinity—especially the type that rely on nearby ones, like food and vehicle businesses.

Mobile WiMAX technology is the latest addition to location-based advertising options. WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access), is a technology that provides wireless transmission of data using a variety of transmission modes, from point-to-multipoint links to portable and fully mobile internet access. The good news is that the technology provides for high transfer speeds without cables. As per the WIMAX forum, WiMAX is a standards-based technology enabling the delivery of last mile wireless broadband access as an alternative to cable and DSL. This should pave the way for last mile advertising with quality content and focus.


Mobile application marketing In-App advertising

Mobile applications are meant to make it easier for users to access certain services used in day-to-day life. Image sharing, booking movie tickets, train tickets, making utility bill payments, mobile phone payments, sending bouquets and gifts to loved ones—the options continue to grow each day. Mobile apps are becoming to window for news access to many.

Each application offers a different level of user engagement and a different form of advertising. With the growing work pressures and increasing nuclear families, the needs for services on the move has been growing and these applications are here to fill that very gap.