If you think your mobile phone is the most amazing device you can hold in your hand, you’re not alone. Many marketers also agree, but for a totally different reason – eight out of ten Singapore-based marketers surveyed in a recent study say that mobile will be one of the most important tools to engage with customers in the next two to three years.
According to a report entitled ‘The digitised pocket: Embracing the mobile age’ by information services company Experian, more marketers are hopping onto the mobile bandwagon to engage with consumers.
Let’s take a look at some of the more interesting findings:
– Seven out of ten marketers believe sales achieved through mobile devices will grow in the next year, with 69 per cent expecting mobile sales to either significantly increase (22%) or increase (47%),
– Nine out of ten marketers in Singapore agree mobile marketing works. Of those who have tried and tested the channel (49%), 26 per cent rated their most recent mobile campaign as very effective, and a further 57 per cent rated it as effective. More promisingly, two-thirds (66%) of them are already incorporating mobile as a regular marketing channel,
– Of marketers who are already using mobile, 33 per cent currently receive 11 to 25 per cent of their sales via mobile devices, while an additional 28 per cent receive 26 to 50 per cent of their sales via this channel,
– Almost all digital marketing mediums are seen as more important than 12 months ago – website (44%), online advertising (42%), email (41%). SMS (70%) and MMS (53%) remain equally important,
– Face-to-face communications is still rated the most important marketing channel (63%), with email coming in a close second (55%),
– 36 per cent of marketers have incorporated mobile as a regular marketing channel, while 14 per cent have implemented one campaign to test the waters. However, 20 per cent have developed a strategy but have not yet implemented it,
– By far the most popular tactic in use is QR codes, with 68% of marketers deploying this tactic. Other common tactics are email marketing optimized for mobile (50%), m-Commerce (49%) and SMS campaigns (46%),
– However, QR codes are also the most likely mobile tactic to be abandoned in the next 12 months, with 21% of marketers indicating they will discontinue using this,
– A mobile-optimized website is rated the most effective mobile marketing tactic by marketers, and
– Other tactics to be implemented by marketers in Singapore in the next 12 months include mobile tickets/barcode (72%), in-app ads (67%) and location-based mobile services (56%).
“In the next five years Experian predicts more than 50 per cent of marketing budgets will be associated with mobile, and mobile will overtake all other digital channels as the most effective way to reach and engage with consumers,” says John Merakovsky, Managing Director, Marketing Services at Experian Asia Pacific. “In Singapore, the smartphone will soon become a digital replacement for almost everything consumers carry in their pockets and wallets – cash, credit and debit cards, passes, receipts, vouchers, tickets and loyalty cards.”
“Marketers need to recognize this growing trend and start incorporating mobile marketing as part of their broader strategy. This is crucial in order for them to stay at the forefront of their respective industries as m-commerce gains a stronger foothold in the market,” he continues.
“Clearly, mobile devices are a key way to connect with audiences in Singapore. In an increasingly complex marketing environment, consumers are empowered like never before and are calling the shots in terms of how and when they engage with brands,” Merakovsky adds. “With this in mind, the mobile channel presents a great opportunity for marketers to boost the effectiveness of their broader campaigns.”
It will also be interesting to see the fate of NFC technology in Singapore, considering how the use of QR code technology looks to be trending off.
Here’s an infographic detailing some of the findings:
