Mobile bridging: Connecting the real world with the virtual world via cell phone

Almost every adult under 60 now carries a smartphone with them at all times, and more and more people can hardly imagine a minute of their lives without one. Thanks to their multi-functional nature, these devices are constantly being reached for throughout the day to manage, improve and make our lives easier. A recent study by Tecmark found that the average user looks at their smartphone over 200 times a day - from the moment they get up until they fall back into bed.

For marketers, this means an "always on" opportunity to leverage mobile to improve targeting and audience engagement, whether users are at home, at work, in the store or on the move. Not only can the mobile channel be used as such, there is now great potential to use mobile as a bridge (also known as mobile bridging) to link the physical, real world with the digital, virtual one.

The challenge for implementing mobile bridging lies in how to get the smartphone-equipped target group to stop, take out their device and interact with your brand. We've put together the 4Ps for mobile bridging that every marketer should consider when planning. These are Push, Pull, Participation and Purchase.

Push

Marketers can push messages directly to mobile users to encourage them to take action wherever they are. For those users who are being contacted for the very first time, paid, location-based text messages or banner ads can be used. For users who have already downloaded a provider's app, there is also the option of delivering location-based messages via in-app push notifications. These can be triggered by proximity to so-called BLE beacons.

This push tactic can be especially useful if you are trying to redirect the customer's path to get them to take an action in the store, showroom or venue. However, it's important to remember that reach and data accuracy are still a challenge when planning location-based advertising campaigns. In addition, the customer must give their consent once for in-app push notifications.

Pull

Marketing managers can integrate a mobile call to action in addition to existing communications in the real world. Be it through radio advertising, posters, packaging or at the point of sale to directly encourage the customer to use the mobile channel. Even though this potential has been around for a while, there are now more options than ever to choose from. Marketers can choose from simple text response, the discredited QR code, augmented reality, near field communication (NFC), through to automatic content recognition (such as music recognition on Shazam) and even GPS apps (think real-world treasure hunts). This tactic can be helpful when you want to add the mobile channel to an existing communication or experience in the real world. To implement the right pull tactic, marketers should examine what they want the target audience to think, feel and do at that moment and why. They also need to ensure that the experience is smooth, seamless and rewarding. Marketing planners should remember to optimize their own digital media for mobile search, as more and more customers are targeting mobile content through search engines based on a specific contextual need.

Participation

As social media usage is becoming increasingly smartphone-based, marketers have a greater opportunity to encourage mobile audiences to participate in a time, place and content-specific way.

You can encourage mobile engagement through photo/selfie contests on Facebook or Instagram, through hashtag campaigns on Twitter or asking the target audience to check-in when they are at a specific location. This tactic helps to generate mobile user-generated content and spread local promotions to a large online target audience via social networks. It can also lead to good word-of-mouth advertising and advocacy for the brand. Marketers should ensure that they always offer some kind of direct reward for participation, be it something tangible (e.g. in the form of a free product) or intangible (e.g. in the form of social network recognition).

Purchase

As mobile payments become more widespread in 2015, marketers have a greater opportunity to increase direct purchases via mobile in the real world.

They can encourage mobile payments on the spot by offering all sorts of promotions, such as mobile coupons, promotional offers, point of sale calls to action, payment systems and mobile loyalty cards. The type of businesses that have been early adopters of the 4Ps of mobile bridging are those with a high street presence, specifically quick-serve restaurants. McDonald's, Subway, Starbucks, etc. already regularly take advantage of many of the 4Ps' opportunities. Opportunities for companies or brands to utilize one or more of the Ps will become increasingly common and as such should already be regularly included in their integrative communication plans.

Melina Ex

In a nutshell

Melina Ex is Managing Director of the mobile marketing agency Fetch in Berlin, which provides its clients with strategy, media planning & buying, creative and analytics for mobile. Fetch is part of the Dentsu Aegis Network. Melina Ex has experience in China, Africa and the UK. Most recently she was CMO at a mobile service for music, games, apps and e-books in Beijing. Prior to that, she worked at Human Digital (M&C Saatchi Group), where she advised clients on digital strategy, customer insights and monitoring.

www.wearefetch.com

Glosar:

Mobile bridging: linking the digital, virtual world with the physical, real world.
In-app push notifications: Messages that can be sent to users of an app on their smartphone.
BLE Beacons (Bluetooth Low Energy Beacons): Transmitter of a radio technology that
Bluetooth works.
QR Code (Quick Response Code): a machine-readable code consisting of black and white boxes similar to a barcode.
Augmented Reality: a technology that enhances the perception of reality with a computer-generated image.
Near Field Communication: wireless communication technology.