How mobile can be integrated into the digital experience

Mobile devices such as smartwatches are on the rise.BY GUNNAR KLAUSBERG*, Product Marketing Manager at Adobe SystemsIn today's increasingly fierce battle for digital consumers, brands have to offer much more than just good products or appealing images. Because let's be honest: most offers, their presentations and the associated brand appearances have become quite interchangeable and are quickly forgotten by customers. To be successful as a brand in the long term, you need unique interactions with the customer. Encounters in which the customer feels exactly who the brand is and what it does for them. And on all digital communication channels on which they are active. Especially in saturated markets with a flood of similar products and services, this "digital experience" is increasingly becoming a decisive differentiator. According to the latest "Digital Trends Report 2015" by Econsultancy and Adobe, over three quarters (78%) of global marketing decision-makers have already recognized this key benefit of the digital experience and are planning to focus more on a holistic customer experience this year. It is clear to them that those who succeed in providing their customers with personalized experiences at the decisive digital touchpoints will gain a clear competitive advantage, and no company can avoid the mobile channel: smartphones and tablets have long been part of consumers' everyday lives due to their rapidly increasing use. According to recent studies, they now spend four times more time with their favorite apps than on the web. And this is just the beginning: with wearables, smartwatches or fitness wristbands as well as in-store displays or Speaking Windows, more and more end devices are coming into play in the dawning age of the "Internet of Things", which need to be supplied with up-to-date content and service functions via apps. After all, it is not primarily the end device that is mobile, but the customer. It is important to reach them in the right place and at the right time. No matter which device they are using. For the mobile experience, this means that as part of a holistic digital experience that takes all channels into account and makes the brand tangible across the entire customer journey, all activities should always be offered as if from a single source.Mobilize digital experience: This is how it works!Marketing managers in the mobile sector have to say goodbye to the desktop strategies they have learned. They don't work on mobile devices and consequently carry the risk of losing contact with the customer. Instead, companies should think about the extent to which they can implement personalization across the various channels - ideally in combination with a contextual approach. Responsive and adaptive mobile websites, whose design automatically adjusts to different screen sizes or the bandwidth of the internet connection, should be standard today. Visitors who have become customers thanks to the mobile site can be retained for longer using apps. The focus of successful apps is on clear added value for the customer, which, in combination with the product, service and the company's presence, contributes directly to the digital experience. With geo-targeting and corresponding location-based services, it is also possible to address mobile app users with relevant content and personalized messages exactly where they are - whether in a retail store, at a sporting event or at the airport.It's worth taking a look in the mirrorOne thing is clear: thinking in terms of individual channels is no longer appropriate in the multichannel age. The consistent and personalized experience is paramount. Mobile in particular should always keep an eye on the comprehensive digital presence that a company offers and the experiences that customers have at the various touchpoints. Whether companies know how to overcome this hurdle depends not least on how they are set up: Comprehensive team structures and holistic processes - e.g. for merging customer profiles, content and assets - are required today if one cog is to mesh with another in integrated customer communication. In addition to the fundamental set-up and the associated cultural change that a company must undergo for a holistic digital experience, there are also a number of technological tools that make the path much easier. Modern marketing solutions now offer clear platforms with a wide range of mobile functions for the provision of holistic digital customer experiences. They enable companies to easily integrate mobile into the overall "digital experience" and efficiently harness the added value of the mobile channel. And not at some point in the distant future, but here and now!*About Gunnar KlaubergAs Product Marketing Manager, Gunnar Klauberg is responsible for mobile marketing within the Adobe Experience Manager, a solution of the Adobe Marketing Cloud. Since 1996, he has been working in the areas of web content management, mobile and publishing to make the digital experiences of customers such as Axel Springer, Microsoft, Deutsche Telekom, Nokia and Vodafone more relevant.