Optimizing for Mobile: The New Rules of Mobile Marketing

We live in a mobile world. In the last twenty years, our technology has evolved from desktops to laptops to tablets and phones. In fact, many of today's mobile phones and tablets are actually more powerful computers than those older desktops -- and considerably more useful at that. When you consider their widespread popularity, it's no wonder marketers are starting to see them for the powerful tools they are.

• Personalized. Mobile devices are rapidly becoming an extension of the users themselves. They are not a mass-media tool, so a mass-media marketing approach might come across as telemarketing or spam. Instead of blasting your audience with a blanket message, use these devices as a platform for you to send personalized messages or effective marketing offers tailored to your audience segment -- by customizing your message, you make your marketing more personal and more powerful.
• Pertinent. Part of personalizing a marketing message is making it applicable to the individual recipients, whether you focus on their interests or their industries. Of course, the easiest way to ensure a message's relevance is by marketing to your existing customers and followers; however, you can also look for ways to target non-customers who have indicated an interest in your particular field or industry.
• Timely. The best time to reach potential customers is at the time they're ready to buy. Since most people have their mobile phones on and available nearly all the time, you can ensure your business is present at the perfect time, whether your company appears in a mobile search for your keywords or your name is mentioned on Facebook or Twitter.
• Local. One of the wonders of today's mobile devices is that they can identify exactly where their users are currently located. Many phones and tablets can tell you when people are visiting your city, your neighborhood or even the restaurant next door. This level of insight gives marketers the ability to advertise to nearby customers or send a special offer to people who are close by.
• Simple. Though smartphones and tablets boast highly advanced capabilities, their small size and even smaller keyboards mean that they still lend themselves to brevity and simplicity. Keep your mobile messages concise, and make sure any mobile forms are designed as simply as possible. After all, saving time is a huge reason for the popularity of these devices; your mobile communications should be developed with this in mind.
• Optimized. Finally, though it might seem obvious, make sure your online presence is optimized for mobile devices. Yes, you should have a mobile version of your site--or at least have a site that is carefully designed so that it looks and functions just as well on mobile devices as it does on full-size computers. If your site looks jumbled, crowded, or simply hard to see when accessed by phone, it signals that you either don't understand or don't care about mobile users.