Three focus areas for mobile marketing projects

Mobile marketing has been the “next big thing” for some time, but like anything, there’s a big difference between doing it, and doing it well. With so many devices, operating systems and carriers, options within the mobile device universe are growing fast. That’s great news for end users, but can be frustrating for marketers trying to leverage mobile to reach them. The best approach for kicking off a mobile project is to focus on three things – target, platform and simplicity.

The target is more than just the end user when it comes to mobile marketing. It’s crucial to understand what devices they are using, and where they are using them. For example, does your target audience prefer the Blackberry, iPhone, Droid or another device, and is their primary use business or personal?

When it comes to mobile marketing, it’s (usually) not economically feasible to create a solution for every device, operating system and carrier — or even the several most popular. Given that fragmentation, it’s prudent to spend time, energy and budget developing a solution based on the most common platform among your target audience. In this case, the old maxim “You can’t be everything for everyone” applies.

Finally, keep in mind that common web strategy and conventions don’t always translate to mobile devices, simply due to the constraints of the medium. In other words, focus on simplicity — building five solid, usable features into a solution is more effective than 20, which can lead to user confusion and frustration.

Another good rule of thumb before starting a mobile project is to learn as much as you can about the many tactics that are available, and their pros and cons. That includes SMS (text messaging), mobile websites, augmented reality and apps, but that’s not an all-inclusive list. A targeted, simplified solution that utilizes the most common platform is the most effective approach.