Mobile Marketing Adoption Slow But Sure

by Jack Loechner, Jul 3, 2012, 6:15 AM

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According to a new StrongMail survey conducted in conjunction with Zoomerang from April 11 to 23, 2012, reflecting the attitudes of business leaders in regards to mobile marketing adoption, budgets, techniques, challenges, benefits and integration with other channels, only 45% of businesses are conducting some form of mobile marketing, with mobile websites, mobile applications and QR codes the most popular forms of mobile marketing, but less than half of marketers are currently running any of them. Of those who are, 57% have been running them for only a year or less. 

Mobile Marketing In Use (% Business Execs Worldwide)
Mobile Marketing	% of Respondents
Mobile website	70%
Mobile apps	55
Mobile QR codes	49
SMS/MMS	40
Mobile advertising	34
Mobile push	24
Mobile search	23
Location based mobile mktg.	13
Source: StrongMail, May 2012

Nearly half of businesses conducting mobile marketing have achieved a basic level of integration between their email and mobile programs, with top areas of focus being mobile landing pages (32%), mobile number capture at email sign-up (25%) and mobile optimized email templates (22%). More sophisticated tactics like leveraging mobile response data to optimize offers in email or other channels are only used by 29% of businesses engaged in mobile marketing.

Mobile Marketing Objectives (Multiple Response)
Objective	% of Respondents
Increase sales	59%
Improve customer service	52
Increase brand awareness	49
Acquire new customers	45
Grow mobile opt-in list	14
Grow email opt-in list	13
Lower support costs	6
Don’t know	5
Source: StrongMail, May 2012

 The mobile marketing opportunity is not lost with marketers, as 75% of businesses not currently running programs plan to within a year or more, and of those businesses that are, 70% expect to see their budgets increase over the same time period. 

Use of Mobile As Marketing Channel (% of Respondents)
Currently Using	% of Respondents
Yes	45%
No	55%
Plan in next 6 mos	14%
Plan in 6-12 mos	29%
Plan ≥ 1 year	32
No plans	25
Source: StrongMail, May 2012

When asked to identify the top obstacle to launching a mobile program, 37% of businesses cited lack of strategy, followed lack of resources at 22%. Mobile marketing budgets also remain a small fraction of overall interactive budgets, with 54% of businesses allocating 5% or less to mobile programs. Nearly a quarter of businesses reported less than 1% allocated to mobile.  On the positive side, 55% report increased budgets over the past year.

Interactive Budget Allocated to Mobile (% of Respondents)
Percent Allocated	% of Respondents
< 1%	24%
2-3	20
4-5	10
6-10	7
≥	6
Don’t know	33
Source: StrongMail, May 2012

 The survey found that 55% of respondents had increased their mobile budget over the past year, and 70% planned to increase it in the coming year. Only 1% of respondents said they planned to decrease their mobile ad budget over the next 12 months.

Budget Expectation for Mobile Marketing in Next 12 Months
Expectation	% of Respondents
Increase	70%
Decrease	1
Same	13
Don’t know	15
Source: StrongMail, May 2012

 And, of interest in serving these companies, the department most responsible is that responsible for online and interactive marketing.

Department Managing Mobile Marketing
Department	% of Respondents
Email marketing	14%
Direct marketing	6
Online/interactive marketing	37
Dedicated mobile marketing function	7
Shared w/multiple departments	32
Source: StrongMail, May 2012

Survey Highlights Summary:

• 45% have adopted mobile marketing; 57% have been doing it for 12 months or less
• 37% cite lack of strategy as top reason for lack of adoption, followed by lack of resources (22%)
• 55% reported increased mobile marketing budgets for past 12 months; only 2% saw a decrease
• 70% expect their budget to increase in the next 12 months
• 43% have integrated email marketing and mobile marketing

For additional information and a full copy of the survey and results, please visit StrongMail here.

 

 

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