How Mobile Marketing Can Attract A Younger Audience

Mobile marketing describes the advertisement of products and services through mobile and smart phone devices. Following on from the success of internet-based advertising models, mobile marketing offers businesses of all sizes and descriptions the chance to interact and communicate directly with clients and customers.

Although still very much in its infancy, SMS marketing has become an established mode of advertising; in fact, it is arguably the most powerful advertising medium ever invented. SMS marketing has attracted considerable attention over the past couple of years because manufacturers have produced more advanced and interactive technology in the form of smart phones, such as the Apple iPhone.

New technology tends to attract a relatively young audience, which is certainly the case when it comes to the mobile phone industry; however, such is their popularity, smart phones have been adopted by a much wider demographic of consumers. As such, SMS marketing has the capacity to enable businesses to communicate directly with older generations whilst tapping into the notoriously elusive younger market.

Mobile marketing offers a number of distinct advantages over traditional or conventional advertising tools. One such advantage is that of accessibility; unlike internet and television advertising, mobile marketers are able to reach potential clients and customers wherever they are in the world and at any time. People tend to keep their mobile phones with them at all times and research suggests that most people read all of their SMS messages, which can hardly be said for e-mail users. The second advantage is that marketers may integrate the SMS API into their current marketing software, allowing a seamless gateway to the mobile world.

In addition to circumventing the trends of internet users and junk e-mail filters, mobile advertisements offer the advantage of speed. Mobile marketers can create an interactive and intelligent advertising campaign in a matter of minutes; furthermore, such a campaign can be distributed to a network of millions of mobile phone users without much further delay. When it comes to time-critical advertising, mobile marketing trumps all other channels.

As marketing techniques become more sophisticated, consumers will discover that they are provided with a uniquely personal service. The recipients of SMS advertisements can respond with provided reply codes, which activate discount codes, special offers or other pre-programmed services - e-mail advertising can also achieve this, but often fails on the basis that few people trust unsolicited e-mail links. This type of marketing simplifies the process and removes most if not all of the potential security hazards.

Marketers must remain conscious, however, of their obligations to protect the rights of users. Mobile marketing campaigns ought to offer clear and concise advertisements alongside a facility to allow recipients to 'opt-out' of future communications; furthermore, customer data must be handled securely and sensitively at all times, as required by the law. It is also true that large-scale SMS marketing can cost substantial amounts of money; however, if this is used correctly, an infinite number of opportunities awaits businesses that wish to avail of the most dynamic and interactive form of advertising ever conceived.