The following is a post from Kristen Poillon, TIG Global Manager of Sales Operations.
The Growth of Mobile
Mobile mania is upon us, and as each year passes, consumers are becoming more and more reliant on mobile technology, only not just for the purpose of making calls anymore. With the rise of today’s smartphones, and the overwhelming popularity of the iPhone and Blackberry, mobile applications are becoming increasingly advanced to cater to the tech-saavy consumer.
A recently published New York Times travel article, “Apps for the iPhone: A Traveler’s Companion, Pocket Size” summed up the growing dependence on these digital companions, likening them to an extra appendage that we can no longer live without.
“It’s a quarter to five in the morning, and I have a plane to catch in two hours. But why rush out the door if my flight is already delayed? To check its status, I turn to my iPhone, tap on an application called FlightTrack and pull up my flight. It’s on time. Better get out of bed. At the airport, I check for Wi-Fi and update all my newspaper apps (NYTimes, WSJ, USA Today and so on) so I have something to read onboard. And when I arrive at my destination, I use the iPhone to pull up the Yelp app, and its built-in mapping feature, to find the most highly user-rated bars and restaurants.
Sure, I could have easily stumbled across that pizza place on my own and gotten by without the Cantonese catchphrases I downloaded in an app-buying frenzy. But as Apple’s iTunes Store has continued to grow with thousands of apps, I’ve come regularly to rely on the gadget as an integral part of my travel routine.”
And so is the case for millions of other mobile users. The fact is, we live in a connected world, and consumers expect an array of capabilities from their phones while in-transit. We want them for the convenience of day-to-day tasks, such as paying bills from the airport, we want them to entertain us while we are stuck commuting, we want them to make suggestions on where to eat or stay when we visit new locations, and now more than ever, we need them to make purchases while we are on the go. Consumers are already using the technology, so it is imperative to reach them where they are looking using the bevy of available mobile marketing tools to ensure that your brand is getting the attention you desire.
Increasing Adoption in Hospitality
Hilton hotels recently lead the charge in the hospitality industry, unveiling applications across seven hotel brands including its Conrad, Hilton, Doubletree, Embassy Suites, Hilton Garden Inn, Homewood Suites and Hampton Inn brands in the United States. The new applications, specifically for iPhone and iTouch, include features such as “Request Upon Arrival” service, enabling travelers to place an order for room service and have a meal in the guestroom upon arrival at select hotels. The applications also offer “e-check in,” a feature that provides remote check-in up to 48 hours in advance. The brand, having previously launched a mobile campaign for reservations (not Apple specific), is now enjoying the rewards with a 59% increase in mobile revenue since the first quarter of 2009.
The Role of Social Media with Mobile
Social media has also raised the stakes for mobile accessibility with the growing popularity of its various applications. Currently, there are more than 65 million active users accessing Facebook through their mobile devices, and on top of that statistic, the people that use Facebook on their mobile devices are almost 50% more active on the site than non-mobile users. Same goes for Twitter. A recent Pew report found that mobile Internet users were much more likely to use Twitter, with 25% of users accessing the site from their mobile devices.
Additionally, according to a new study released by eMarketer, by the year 2013, 43% of global mobile internet users (607.5 million people worldwide) will be accessing social networks from their mobile devices. The study stresses the idea that mobile and social marketing remain emerging channels that are each helping drive the adoption of the other and goes on to report that in the US, mobile social networkers will total 56.2 million by 2013, and will account for nearly half (45%) of the mobile internet user population. With all this in mind, it is essential to develop a strong social media strategy in conjunction with mobile marketing, in order to take advantage of the many outlets available to distribute information about your brand or destination.
Â
eMarketer projections of mobile social network users
Â
Making Mobile Work for You
So what can you do to get your brand or destination in the game? Below are a few points to get you started with mobile outreach:
Mobile Website Design:
- Create a mobile friendly version of your site that incorporates the same look and feel of your original site.
- Structure the user menu of your mobile site for convenience and ease of use. You want to make sure travelers can easily access booking links and specials without a struggle to locate them.
- Ensure that your site is compatible with the consumer that you wish to reach. A site that is created for a Blackberry will not work for an iPhone, and vice versa. Creating a version for both will help with maximum exposure and usability.
- Develop mobile friendly content that is short and succinct and does not require a great deal of scrolling.
Mobile Marketing:
- Use SMS texts to extend your reach and put your brand or destination at top of mind.
- Provide exclusive specials and encourage customers to opt-in for continual updates via text.
- Use your mobile site to promote daily specials and impulse purchase items that are accessible at the click of a button.
- Choose your content wisely, with search terms in mind. Consumers have the ability to search on a mobile device the same as they would on a traditional computer, so always consider SEO strategy.
Interested in boosting your mobile strategy? TIG Global offers a full suite of mobile and social marketing tools to get you noticed in the mobile marketplace. Click here to learn more, or give us a call at 301-841-4700.
