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Nucleus [noo-klee-uh s, nyoo-] – A central part about which other parts are grouped or gathered; core.
While this is a term usually reserved for chemistry, it is also a perfect description for mobile devices, as they have become the centre of human existence.
What science tells us is that it is very difficult to penetrate nuclei, which is also the case when it comes to getting to the centre of consumer media engagement. The best way to reach and resonate with mobile advertising is by taking a user first approach
Facebook is King
The undisputed heavyweight champion of mobile advertising is Facebook. The company very quickly took one of its biggest weakness being the mobile channel and turned it into their biggest strength, rocketing ahead of its rival in Google. As of July, 62% of the company’s advertising revenue came from mobile. What has been the catalyst to success?
Facebook is where users are spending their time. One-third of Facebook’s user base is “mobile only,” accounting for approximately 400 million users, with users in the US spending more than 40 minutes a day on Facebook. Facebook’s troves of data and targeting capabilities along with its ability to seamlessly integrate advertising within its platform.
Effective communication needs to take a two-fold approach. First, the right message must be conveyed, which should be developed by leveraging a number of first and third-party data points.
Once you have the right message, it must be delivered in the right way on the right platform. Facebook’s advertising approach is a fitting example of how to effectively carry out this strategy. It has leveraged its heaps of user data by delivering relevant messaging which is integrated directly into the user experience.
As a matter of fact, native advertising is the way forward when it comes to mobile.
Going native
While Native Advertising may mean a number of different things depending on who you are, at its core is a delivery mechanism that integrates advertising within user content to make a seamless, uninterrupted experience.
This is crucial for the success of mobile advertising given how personal mobile devices are. Anything that is seen as intrusive or an invasion of one’s space, will immediately be dismissed and likely create negative brand sentiment.
A great way for brands to effectively leverage native mobile advertising is by leveraging key influencers. An example is how Lady Gaga has turned her Instagram selfies into ads for a Japanese beauty brand.
Gaming apps also present a great opportunity for mobile markets. Brands can “go native” with branded content or incentive-based offers, which can seamlessly be integrated into the user flow.
Overall, the more deeply integrated an ad is with an app, the better the user experience will be and the more likely users will be receptive to its messaging.
Keeping it Engaging
The next step to creating a great experience for users is done by delivering engaging content. Thankfully, with the rise of larger mobile screen sizes and mobile video consumption, it has become easier than ever to create such content.
Smartphone sizes continue to increase. Even the ever-stubborn Apple has succumbed to consumer demand for larger screen sizes, with the introduction of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. A study by Chikita, shows a direct correlation between mobile phone screen size and CTR; in short, size matters. Interestingly, it also makes the connection between screen size and monitor resolution, which can provide hints to the device’s age as well as the user.
Screen sizes are getting bigger in no small part because users love engaging with video content. According to an IAB report, mobile video advertising has grown 196% in 2014, faster than any other form of ad spend and will continue to grow sharply through 2018.
This presents the opportunity to engage with users with a number of different ad formats which include, short, medium and long form video as well as pre, mid and post-roll video as well as interstitial advertisements. As stated earlier, with video it is important to maintain relevant messaging and create content that directly connects with the user experience within the app.
Mobile advertising is still a fledgling marketing tactic with tremendous room to grow, if marketers are willing to experiment and go beyond traditional practices. The curious mobile marketer that tinkers like a mad scientist in a lab will go far and fast toward getting their job done.
