Technology is a beautiful thing, over time things have gotten smaller and easier to use. I remember when mobile phones were only connected to the cars and the reception was horrible. Then when the first cell phones came out, they were enormous, and you could only make calls with them. My first computer took up most of my desk I only used it for papers and to play a game once and a while. Now cell phones have taken the place of televisions, computers, radios, and even your wallet. Never mind that enormous computer, we now have tablets that can run just like a computer but can be put in a purse or backpack and taken anywhere. Consumers are constantly plugged-in, and companies are very well aware of this and taking full advantage of it.
In 2020 there were 3.5 billion active cell phones on the planet. (Robin, 2020) This means that there is a great opportunity for a company to research, and market to their target demographic. Mobile marketing on cell phones and tablets has many advantages. Some of them include ease of use, instant and trackable results, it can boost your companies SEO rankings, and oh yeah, its portable. (Robin, 2020) You can literally reach your target demographic wherever they are because, let’s face it, we are constantly on our phones. Marketing on portable devices is also key for companies that want to stay ahead of their competition, if you get to the consumer before your competitor, then chances are that you will have the first chance to fill that customers need. More and more companies are starting to embrace mobile marketing and with good reason.
As great as marketing on cell phones and tablets is, there are some disadvantages to doing it. First, it is a fairly new form of marketing, so we are still constantly learning, and you have to be very aware of privacy issues and laws. The biggest issue is that with so many different sizes of phones and tablets navigating websites can be an issue on some devices and overall development of mobile sites is costly and difficult. (Admin, 2012) Now, all these disadvantages can be overcome but you must have the right people in place to oversee and anticipate any of these issues that can arise.
The conclusion is that marketing on portable devices such as cell phones and tablets is a great way for companies to reach their target demographic at any time of the day. Though there can be some challenges, the benefits far outweigh the cons when it comes to mobile marketing. Just go for a walk down the street and observe how many people are walking or driving for that matter (be careful) with their face buried in their phones. You are probable so used to seeing it, but I think if you pay attention to the amount of people looking down you will be astonished. Every single one of these people looking down is being marketed to and is a potential customer for a company.
References:
Robin, Benefits and Challenges of Mobile Marketing, Feb. 2020 https://www.techfunnel.com/martech/benefits-mobile-marketing/#:~:text=%20Top%2014%20Benefits%20of%20Mobile%20Marketing%20,place%20an%20ad%20or%20just%20to…%20More%20
Admin, Disadvantages of Mobile Marketing, Sept. 2012 https://techwench.com/the-disadvantages-of-mobile-marketing/
Kostas Site 