By bbr

Of all the many marketing strategies available, mobile and video are projected to grow the most rapidly over the next couple years. However, they’re not always the simplest options or the cheapest. So are they a good investment for your firm, and will they yield an acceptable rate of return on your marketing resources?

The short answer is yes. Both mobile and video marketing offer great ROI and significant impact on firm growth when they are done strategically, based on solid data and with careful targeting.

Mobile Marketing
In this day and age, giving your audience mobile access to your marketing messages is a necessity. Many people now depend on mobile devices for most – if not all – of their online interactions and research. That means businesses without a strong marketing profile optimized for mobile lose out on critical exposure and become less competitive overall. Think about how often you use your mobile device each day – it’s no different for your target audience.

Consider which devices your target market uses. Are your clients in industries that depend heavily on iPhones and iPads or do they tend to rely on Windows devices or something else? Knowing how they access your information allows you to design your content in a way that is effective in the limited space they have on smaller screens. But if you aren’t exactly sure what types of devices they use, how can you know how to prepare your content?

The key to making your mobile marketing dollar work for you is access to accurate data. Programs like Google Analytics and many social media platforms provide data on how people are accessing your information. Some go even further to provide insights on where they are accessing your info, when and for how long. Knowing this information is critical so your mobile campaigns not only reach your target audience, but also engage and keep them on your site once they are there.

Want to get very granular when pursuing potential clients? Strategies like geo-targeting can help you pinpoint the people who are most likely to respond positively to your message. Dramatic advances in big data mean that you can use this kind of information to your advantage when strategizing how to get your brand in front of prospects.

Video
Video is another marketing strategy that has grown rapidly in recent years and generated much excitement, and for good reason. Video is harder to overlook than static content. It’s highly engaging and can feel more like face-to-face contact than simple text or graphics. In addition, video brings SEO benefits to boost the impact of your marketing efforts.

Through platforms like YouTube and Vimeo, many businesses have been highly successful with informational videos, video blogs (vlogs) and video ads. While YouTube and Vimeo are the best known and most used, they are by no means the only video sites out there. Other options growing in popularity include Dailymotion, LiveLeak and Break. The platform you choose boils down to what you seek to accomplish with your video. If you’re trying to be very casual or you’re hoping to be one of the lucky ones to shoot to viral stardom, the latter platforms will work just fine. If you’re looking to be a bit more buttoned up and have more control over your message and branding, the major players are your best bet.

Streaming video is swiftly becoming another viable option for professionals, offering the ability to connect in real time and give up-to-the-minute insight on breaking topics. With Twitter’s acquisition of Periscope last year, it’s easier than ever to deliver live streaming commentary to your followers right inside their Twitter newsfeeds.

Is mobile or video marketing right for your firm? It probably is. Just be sure to start by digging into the data that will allow you to get the best return on your investment and you’ll be on the road to success with your next marketing campaign.

Have you incorporated these tactics into your marketing mix? We’d love to hear your stories!