Seven tips for a successful mobile commerce strategy
1. know the market
In the United States in particular, it is the technology-savvy Generation Y that is increasingly making purchases via mobile apps. In the emerging markets, on the other hand, where mobile devices are used almost exclusively, the situation is different. In these mobile-first markets, consumers primarily use smartphones or tablets and all age groups make mobile purchases. According to Statista.com, in the fourth quarter of 2014, nine percent of the Indian population stated that they had bought something online using a mobile device - that equates to over 100 million people. Common obstacles, such as problems with online payment in regions without stable financial services, have been overcome by mCommerce, for example by enabling retailers in India to offer delivery on delivery.
2. address the right target group
In order to reach the intended target group with an app, providers need to know who they want to reach and why. The decisive factor here is to specify a buyer profile. This not only makes it clear how the customer can be addressed in the best possible way, it also shows who the competitors are for the relevant group of buyers. While one store may focus on students of both sexes who have an affinity for fashion, another may concentrate only on women who are interested in fashion. Advertising measures become more effective once the target group has been identified.
3. the mix makes the difference - the right marketing mix
Since most transactions take place on mobile, this channel should also be the focus of marketing campaigns. However, it is not possible to do completely without the support of classic formats such as TV advertising, otherwise mobile ads run the risk of falling victim to so-called banner blindness.the right mix of TV, offline and mobile ads is necessary to ensure a natural increase in customers. As the graph shows, mobile advertising works best during an offline campaign. TV advertising is a big contributor to brand recall, while additional mobile video ads drive up conversion rates and customer value.
4. bind customers to the app
mCommerce players often observe a high drop-off rate among users in the first week. Push notifications are a good way to improve user loyalty. The key here is to use the right scope to avoid annoying customers. If push notifications are to be timed based on past events in the app, the download time is crucial. If the user opens the app at 15:00 on two consecutive days, a push notification should follow on the third day at 14:55 with a link to the last product accessed or with the deal of the day. There are numerous third-party providers, such as localytics, kahuna or mixpanel, which help to find the right timing for push notifications and to analyze user data.
5. let customers market the app
Content marketing is not just a new trend, but an important tool that drives customer activity. A user-generated content strategy encourages users to interact with the brand and adds a personal touch to the marketing message. There is no better marketing for an app than recommendations from satisfied customers. After a purchase, users should be encouraged to write a customer review and share their experience with other potential customers. Promotion codes can be used to create an incentive to attract potential new users through existing customers via social media. Fully integrating social media networks allows customers to create wish lists, for example, which can then be shared on the various channels.
6. address customers again through retargeting
Since users can easily switch to a competitor's app, most mCommerce companies suffer from customer loss. The introduction of new services can help to win back former customers. However, retargeting is still in its infancy and is often difficult due to the lack of cookies on mobile devices. If a retargeting strategy is nevertheless decided upon, it should be analyzed in advance which customers need to be won back and to what extent they should be addressed. Important when looking for a retargeting partner: the ability to carry out dynamic retargeting, the integration of dynamic ads, the creation of an automated product data feed and a well thought-out pricing policy. Such a service is currently offered for mCommerce companies by Tap Commerce and Vizury.
7. create added value in the user experience
Creating a high-quality user experience is a challenge: the right balance must be found between offering customers perfectly tailored products on the one hand and enabling as many purchases as possible on the other. Creating added value for the customer also means supporting users in using the app. Older customers, for example, are very interested in interacting with the app if they are explained how it works. It is also particularly important, as in the gaming industry, to make transactions simple and easy to understand. Brands need to follow this example and integrate this functionality into their apps.
