by Jonathan Gandolf, via Exact Target |
Ahhhh, Cyber Monday…the made-up retail holiday that all of us online-addicts get lightheaded just thinking about. This fictional holiday meant to complement Black Friday, officially became the largest online shopping day of the year in 2010. Now, just four years later, Cyber Monday is quickly becoming Mobile Monday.
What is Cyber Monday? Briefly, it is the first Monday after Thanksgiving in which many retailers have special offerings on their e-commerce platform. Americans spend all day online and spend (all numbers approximate) a bajillion dollars.
But it’s changing. Or rather, WE are changing. Slowly, we’re evolving from a desktop-first world to a mobile-first world. That is being reflected in how we consume our content and shopping and Cyber Monday is no different. Applovin suggests that we can expect almost 30% of Cyber Monday transactions to be completed on a mobile device. That’s up from only 2% in 2010 (did people shop on their Razrs?!).
Cyber Monday is no longer the day of the desktop. What does this mean for your mobile programs?
Well first, if you don’t have a mobile marketing strategy (WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!!?!?), at the very least, make sure your website is mobile responsive. Please.
Now, it’d be easy for you to think of mobile Monday and only relate that to your mobile app, your push messaging, or your SMS and MMS strategies. If you have these programs, I’m going to assume you’ve got your geo-fencing, push-messaging, in-app alerts, and flash sales all scheduled and ready to go. Good for you.
However, “mobile” is much more than just you. Your app could be buried in a folder on your users fourth full screen of applications. Think about how your consumers interact with “mobile.” Throughout Cyber Monday, your consumers will be searching for deals. They’ll be checking social media all day. Literally, we’re on Twitter…all…day. They’ll be on websites that feature special deals. So be where your consumers are…everywhere. Are your SEO, social ads, and email marketing mobile friendly?
Yes, it’s a lofty goal, but once you get in front of your consumer, then and only then, you have the direct opportunity to direct them back to your mobile campaign. At last, you can use that mobile strategy that you spent months white-boarding. So the strategy is simple: be everywhere and execute. Ensure your channels are coordinated and make sure mobile is prioritized. Your customers are on the go. And this means mobile. Win with this strategy now and in 2017—when mobile transactions surpass desktop—you’ll be ahead of your competitors.
