While seven out of ten marketers are aware mobile will be one of the most important ways to communicate with customers over the next three years, they are still feeling overwhelmed and confused about how to integrate it into their marketing plan, according to research by Experian.
The digitised pocket: Embracing the mobile age report said marketers are finding it difficult to create an integrated marketing plan that uses modern and traditional channels with six out of 10 are yet to take action and implement a mobile campaign.
However, 41 per cent have created a strategy but haven’t started implementing it and a quarter has discussed the development of a plan but are yet to take action.
Over a third of respondents said that incorporating mobile into their marketing plans was a challenge due to tightening budgets, while 28 per cent said buy-in from senior leadership was their greatest challenge.
“In the next five years Experian predicts more than 50 per cent of marketing budgets will be associated with mobile, particularly as traditional, above the line channels, such as TV and billboards become more interactive and entwined with mobile,” said Dave Audley, head of research and consulting, Experian Marketing Services.
“As more people use their smartphones to research products while in-store for example, the mobile channel is becoming the ‘glue’ sticking the online and offline worlds together. And this becomes increasingly apparent as devices become more advanced, data transfer becomes faster and consumers become savvier in using and interacting with their mobiles.”
Despite the fact that many marketers are yet to get started with mobile, those early adopters using the mobile channel find it very effective. Ninety-eight per cent of marketers say mobile-optimised websites are very effective or effective. Ninety-five per cent rate QR codes, a readable ‘barcode’ that can be read by smartphones and then redeemed by customers, as very effective or effective.
“Clever companies will integrate mobile with existing channels, without compromising other activity. Because mobile is cost effective, easy to implement and is nimble, it creates a dynamic platform where brands can create a two-way dialogue,” Audley said.