As a leader and business owner, it is necessary to take quick steps to implement a mobile-first marketing strategy if you want to stay relevant to your audiences. TechRepublic published an article earlier this year stating that more than 2 billion people access the internet via their smartphones. Some analysts predict that by 2025 over 70% of internet users will access the web solely via their smartphones.
What is a mobile-first strategy?
In an article for Forbes, Principal Analyst and Founding Partner at Futurum Research, Daniel Newman, explains, “To be mobile-first, businesses must begin their digital transformation focused on creating a user experience that is just as effective on mobile devices. The idea is this: if we can create a user experience that converts using a mobile device, the rest of the devices will follow.”
Over the past decade, mobile devices have become the primary method of accessing the internet and digital media. Whether users are researching information, shopping online, searching the web, watching videos, or browsing social media, users now regard mobile phones as a necessary component of everyday life. Recent statistics indicate that 91% of mobile users want to be able to easily access content on mobile sites. Therefore, if your digital touchpoints are not optimised for mobile users, you can anticipate near immediate dismissal, for this reason, according to ImpactPlus 68% of companies have completely integrated mobile marketing into their advertising strategies.
Mobile phone usage is only going to increase and a mobile-first approach can help you surf the waves of this fast-paced mobile revolution. People are more likely to embrace brands and products when they see their value. Staying relevant, maintaining a competitive advantage and providing a state-of-the-art experience for your users is of utmost importance if you want them to stay engaged with your products.
Mobile-first is a business imperative
According to a recent GSMA report, the average person spends 3 hours and 15 minutes on their phone each day. And 1 in 5 smartphone users spends upwards of 4.5 hours on average on their phones every day. This increased time on mobile devices is translating into major changes in the paid media landscape therefore a mobile-first mentality is becoming a business imperative at this point. Changing how your business approaches mobile might help set you apart from the competition.
Businesses should look at a mobile-first strategy not only as an opportunity to engage with consumers more often but as a way to impact purchasing decisions by boosting their reach, increasing their brand equity and significantly increasing conversion rates. When brands reach consumers where they spend most of their time, they can have a longer-lasting impact on them.
When looking at recent global data, we can see that the spending on mobile advertising has grown by 77%. That is an increased revenue of 120%. Mobile ads saw click-through rates (CTRs) increase by 45%, with impressions up by 79% based on a Kenshoo Global online shopping report. Locally, we can see that Kenya’s internet penetration reached 42% in 2022, that’s 23.35 million internet users in Kenya and a Kepios analysis shows an increase of 1.6 million users (+7.4%) between 2021 and 2022.
Mobile-first strategies are no longer an afterthought for businesses
Customers’ expectations have changed, calling brands to understand what they like, what they dislike, and then to meet them right in the middle of their needs. Brands are adapting their media strategies and are adopting a mobile-first approach, creating long-term value for their clients and driving positive business uplift in the process. 365 Digital works with hundreds of local and international advertisers, leveraging best-in-class advertising technology and platform partnerships, helping them to reach and convert their audiences.
To learn more about how to engage a mobile-first audience, partner with us at 365 Digital, the leading global ad tech solutions company. Our growth experts have taken some of the most successful Apps in the world to the top.
Let us help you plan and position your business strategy to be mobile first. Let’s grow together.
Chat with us to book your mobile-first campaign:
Kim.mcleod@entravision.com (South Africa)
Maggie.ndirangu@entravision.com (Kenya)