Marketing: the rise of “mobile-first”

For better or for worse, the vast capabilities of mobile devices have revolutionised modern society and transformed how businesses and consumers conduct their daily lives. According to statistical data, mobile traffic has increased by more than 200% in the last seven years.

Every day the boundaries to what we can do with our smartphones are pushed a little further, it is safe to say that hand-held smart devices are going to become increasingly multifaceted for years to come. How does this impact digital marketing?

The term "mobile-first" is widely employed in the User Experience and Product Design sectors. It refers to prioritising the mobile version over the desktop due to its relevance now that data portrays how much more time users are spending on their mobile devices. This means that the greatest potential to capture quality leads lies in the mobile interaction with the brand.

In order to develop successful digital marketing campaigns, it is of key importance to take the above into consideration. Digital natives, who can be considered the largest demographic group, have been digitally wired since childhood, consequently, they have become greatly reliant on their devices.

Businesses that want to build a strong brand, not just for the present but for the future, ought to understand that digital natives will be their potential customers for years to come. Therefore incorporating a mobile-first approach to the strategy is crucial for long-lasting success.

How can we incorporate mobile-first into our strategy?

To answer this question we must understand how users behave on mobile. Consumers today average more than 100 minutes of active mobile screen time per day, but how are they utilising this time? Here are some consumer habits on mobile that have a huge impact on marketing:

• Search for convenience: users want to be able to shop quickly and easily or chances are they will lose interest and the business will lose a sale.
• Decisions based on feelings: when a user has a thought, for example, buying a particular product they saw on social media, they will pursue this feeling impulsively. Therefore, compelling messages stating why a product will make their lives better are decisive in ads directed at this type of user.
• Information gathering: users know they can easily find information about any product, so they won't rely on the advert's "pitch" to make a choice they will research the product before they come to a decision.
• Ranking and reviews: the previous point also works the other way around, users today will take the time to review not just the product but the whole experience. It is most important for businesses to be attentive to detail throughout every step of the customer journey.

As we've mentioned in previous blog posts, adopting a user-centric philosophy is crucial for success in today's business environment and looking at user behaviour, adopting a mobile-first strategy is essential in accomplishing this.

Content is the most powerful way business' can portray their brand values. Mobile web optimisation and any piece of content aimed at interacting with the audience, ought to be designed following a mobile-first strategy, marketers must always consider that the best leads will come from users on mobile. Adopting this approach will lead to satisfying user experiences creating long-lasting relationships between brand and user, especially in reference to digital natives.

Understanding users needs and preferences is one of the first stages of the process we follow at Kenshō, it is the foundation of an effective marketing strategy and the only way to ensure we are adding value to the customer. We believe our client's customers are also our clients and we design tailored branding strategies based on this belief.

If you are looking to take your business to the next level, say hi@kensho.marketing and we'll be happy to show you how we can add value to your business.

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