The prevalence of mobile devices has “made traditional desktop marketing playbooks obsolete,” according to Facebook’s head of global travel strategy. Speaking at the Phocuswright Europe conference in Amsterdam, Nikhilesh Ponde outlined five key strategies marketers need to implement now to keep up with the move to mobile.
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1. Focus on “people-based marketing”
It’s important to understand where your audience is already spending time online.
“There’s a disparity between where customers are and where and how we are choosing to reach them,” Ponde said, noting that while people in Europe spend 25 percent on their time on mobile, advertisers spend only 14 percent of their budgets on mobile ads.
Ponde advised brands to implement a mobile-first social strategy that puts customers first. This allows marketers to:
- Drive growth
- Go direct to the customer on the platforms where they already spend time
- Differentiate your brand in a relevant and personal way
“We need to rethink how we speak to people in personal and meaningful ways,” he said.
2. Messaging is big business
“People prefer to shop with businesses that are available on messaging platforms,” Ponde said. “People want businesses to be available on demand through the platforms and apps they already use.”
Consumers and businesses exchange more than two billion messages per month on Facebook Messenger alone. And there’s no need to limit your messaging strategy to customer service.
In the travel field, for example, Ponde noted that brands can use Messenger to stay in touch throughout a client’s trip, creating seamless opportunities to upsell and cross-promote, while offering a valuable level of care that clients appreciate.
3. Use the available data
“People signal intent through the actions they take,” Ponde said. That means you don’t need to wait for people to seek out your products. Instead, using targeting and remarketing data available through social networks, and tools like the Facebook Pixel, “your products search for the right people.”
The available data and targeting options also allow you to offer highly personalized offers, even in larger campaigns.
4. Video is the next big thing
Marketers need to reach out in the formats people prefer, and that format is increasingly video.
“Video is quickly becoming the most important form of merchandising” Ponde said, noting that 79 percent of people would rather watch a video than read text on-screen.
As social video evolves, marketers should expect to see more immersive experiences, Ponde said.
Bonus: Download a free guide that teaches you how to turn Facebook traffic into sales in four simple steps using Hootsuite.
5. Be ready for change
Above all, businesses need to recognize that constant change is the new normal. “People’s behavior changes every day as mobile becomes more embedded in our lives,” Ponde said.
Businesses need to pay attention to trends, monitor customer behavior, and be ready to pivot quickly. A constant testing and tweaking strategy will help you spot changes in marketing strategy effectiveness and gauge the value of new tools in real time.
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