While challenges exist for brands and agencies launching any mobile campaign, the industry’s success stories suggest there is no reason to be timid in this medium. Recent IAB events, including the 2014 IAB MIXX Awards and an Oct. 14 industry conversation held at IAB’s Ad Lab in New York City, showcased some of the technologies, strategies and ideas that make mobile attractive for any brand. Here are seven keys to making a mobile ad campaign work.
1. Prioritize audience engagement.
Whatever the final product is, mobile ad strategies must engage the audience on a high level. IAB MIXX Awards winners in different mobile categories met this goal through humor, gamification and in some cases custom tech solutions. Mobile ads compete against outdoor distractions and other elements drawing consumer attention away, so the engagement factor must be above average to succeed.
2. Seize the moment in a user’s day.
Knowing when to enter the picture is another key to a winning mobile campaign. Successful examples in mobile have shown athletes responding to ads appearing at the end of a workout in fitness apps while fast food spots have proven to work toward the end of sporting events and long-form content. You have an audience’s attention at these times; it is the marketer’s job to convert that attention into results.
3. Cover as many screens as possible.
Thinking of a mobile (i.e., smartphone only) strategy is a way of handicapping a brand’s campaign. Consider ways of reaching an audience on multiple digital devices to get beyond these limitations. Though there were IAB MIXX Awards winners that focused on specific devices or apps, new ad tech solutions are making the media side easier. Explore the opportunities that already exist in ad technology.
4. Build upon a brand’s existing story.
One way to consider a sound mobile strategy is “taking a brand’s act on the road.” Rather than reinventing a brand, expanding upon the brand’s existing story is a worthy goal for a campaign targeted for tablets and smartphones. Several IAB MIXX Awards winners and finalists showed how a brand can engage loyal customers with mobile games and promotions while others offered ideas for opening up long-established brands to a millennial audience.
5. Unlock the potential of devices.
Smartphones have become highly advanced machines that fit inside anyone’s pocket. From stunning video and camera capabilities to the limitless variety of amusing apps, there is potential for every brand and agency when trying to grab a mobile audience’s attention. Campaigns that maximize the convenience and entertainment factors of mobile have more success and impress upon consumers the attractiveness of a brand.
6. Maximize location advantage.
Location is one of the most useful tools at a marketer’s disposal. Winning mobile campaigns maximize this advantage by showing consumers how to turn roving online activities into neighborhood purchases. Innovations in ad tech even allow marketers to connect to company servers, so consumers are exploring products that are in stock and ready for purchase once they customize their selection. Millennials respond to this level of convenience.
7. Set relevant measurements.
Even the most glorious campaign can falter when you fail to establish proper measurement techniques. Media waste is still a significant problem in mobile, so make sure your campaign has a working platform through which you measure an ad’s reach. Furthermore, identify how the KPIs are relevant to the ROI in any mobile campaign. Every player in the mobile ecosystem has a stake in solid analytics.
To learn more about how to create the best mobile advertising campaign, check out the IAB Mobile Center of Excellence and don’t forget to check out the 2014 IAB MIXX Awards winners for the best in digital ad creative.