Mobile advertising has become a key element of modern advertising. Many companies reserve the largest part of their advertising budget for mobile ads and campaigns. It is easy to understand the reason why: people are now connecting to the digital world through mobile phones. 4G mobile internet allows them to access any website or social media platform quickly and conveniently no matter where they are.
A connected society presents new opportunities, but also new challenges, for brands and marketers. There is such a thing as having too much of a good thing: while people do not mind ads for relevant products, they will certainly stop enjoying this form of advertising if it attempts to take control of their device.
Today we will discuss a few aspects concerning mobile advertising with a view to properly relating to the end consumer and developing ads which are relevant to them and yield the expected results. These aspects are known as the four Cs of mobile advertising and they stand for:
- Context
At what moment do you serve your mobile ads and in what context? Are you sure that your prospects are willing to tap on your ad at this moment? Context is everything in mobile advertising. Even though smartphones have increasingly larger screens, they are still small compared to a laptop or desktop monitor. An ad will take up at least one quarter of the phone screen.
Thus, if you serve an ad to people who are already browsing for a specific product, or just scrolling the social media app, they will welcome it. However, they will certainly not like your ads if they pop up during a private messaging session with a friend or while reading an important email. Context is everything.
- Convenience
When is it more convenient for your prospects to engage with your ads and follow through with the special offer you presented them? That is simple: when they are relaxing at home in the evening and during the weekend. But that clearly depends on your audience. The above statement is true for people working in offices. But what if your customers are senior citizens, or stay-at-home moms or entrepreneurs?
Knowledge of your customers’ lifestyle is critical if you want your mobile ads to hit their target. It is true that people are “on” their mobile phones all the time, but during the busy hours they are most likely searching for information they need right then and there.
- Content
A survey conducted across South-East Asia presented smartphone owners with the premise that mobile ads are mandatory once they turn on the mobile data connection. When asked what kind of ads they would be more likely to engage with, the answers were:
- 77% would choose personalised ads, or having the choice in the type of ads they see;
- 60% opted for entertaining ads, or ads which offer rewards for watching them;
- 48% would enjoy ads which start conversations and which they would share with their friends.
These three top preferences indicate one key aspect: that the content of ads is what makes the difference between tapping on an ad and scrolling away. There is no doubt about it: content is king even in mobile advertising.
- Control
Do you feel a sense of outrage when an ad keeps scrolling down together with the article you are trying to read? Or those autoplay video ads with sound which startles you? Then do not subject your prospects to that which you also hate. Always give viewers the option to dismiss an ad by tapping on the X button and to turn up the sound volume if they are interested in your video.
After all, it is their device and your ads are guests on the screen. Do not make them overstay their welcome.