Mobile marketing has become a cornerstone of success for businesses in today’s digital landscape. As a small to medium-sized business owner, marketer, or content creator, understanding the latest mobile marketing trends is essential for boosting revenue and building stronger connections with your audience.
In an era where customers spend a significant portion of their time on mobile devices, staying ahead of the curve in mobile marketing is crucial for business growth. However, information is scattered across a myriad of reports and websites, making it challenging to pinpoint the most relevant insights for your business. That’s why Business2Community has taken the time to curate a list of the most impactful mobile marketing trends for 2024.
Key Mobile Marketing Trends
- Live videos retain viewers for 10-20 times longer than recorded videos.
- Messaging app users are estimated to reach 6.9 billion by 2030.
- The AR market was valued at $57.26 billion and is projected to reach $592.54 billion by 2030.
- As of 2020, 84% of marketing organizations were implementing or expanding AI and machine learning.
- 72% of individuals express a preference for personalized marketing content.
What are 2024‘s Mobile Marketing Trends?
As we navigate through 2024, the rapid evolution of mobile marketing and the increase in mobile users continue to reshape the advertising landscape. Statista reported in 2022 that mobile ad spending worldwide reached $327.1 billion. This number reflects a 17.2% increase when compared to the preceding year. Based on current mobile advertising trends, it is estimated to hit nearly $399.6 billion by the year 2024.
One of the key mobile marketing trends is the emphasis on good design. Data from Forrester reveals that companies that prioritize superior design for mobile apps and sites can potentially see an increase in ROI by 85% or more. This is largely because well-crafted mobile apps and experiences attract, engage, and retain users more effectively, thus driving revenue growth.
The role of social media engagement in your mobile marketing strategy is also worth noting. A study by Pew Research Center in 2021 indicated that 72% of the public uses some type of social media. In 2005, only 5% of adults were using at least one social media platform, and by 2011 that number reached 50%. in 2023, nearly three-quarters of American adults were using social media. By leveraging these platforms, companies can tap into their target audience and reach new segments through social media marketing.
According to Statista, Americans spent 4 hours and 36 minutes on their mobile devices performing non-voice activities in 2022. By 2024, this number is predicted to increase by three minutes. This trend of increased screen time on mobile phones and devices presents an opportunity for businesses to reach audiences through mobile streaming and other mobile commerce activities.
Mobile marketing trends have increased in importance after the 2015 Google algorithm update gave preference to well-optimized mobile sites. It altered the presentation of mobile search results, entailing the following:
- Websites that have been tailored for mobile devices enjoy higher rankings compared to those that have not been optimized.
- Mobile device-friendly pages are defined as those where text is readable without zooming, tap targets are appropriately spaced, and there’s no unplayable content or horizontal scrolling.
- Google still considers various signals to rank search results, with the intent of the search query being a strong factor.
- If a site’s pages aren’t mobile-friendly, there may be a decrease in mobile traffic, but Google will automatically re-process pages once they become mobile-friendly.
The list of emerging mobile marketing trends below are examples of what is becoming ubiquitous in the mobile landscape:
1. Live Video Content is Getting Attention
Live video content is increasingly becoming a powerful tool for engagement in the digital world. Facebook’s own data says that live video keeps viewers watching 3x longer than recorded video content. This trend is crucial for businesses seeking to create a dynamic and interactive user experience.
According to Cisco, internet video traffic grew 4.3-fold from 2017 to 2022. This forecast implies the rising popularity and demand for short-form video content, particularly live streaming, which enables real-time interactions with your target audience. It provides a unique channel for you to interact with your audience immediately and directly, fostering a sense of community and loyalty.
As per HubSpot, 54% of consumers want to see more video content from a brand or business they support. there is a growing preference consumers have for live video – leveraging live video content can potentially increase reach and customer engagement.
26% of young consumers aged 13-39 have attended a livestream concert, while 56% express an interest in attending virtual events. This indicates the powerful influence that live videos can have on consumer buying decisions, offering you a potentially effective tool for promoting events, products, or services.
2. Messaging Apps are Getting Eyes on Your Content
The popularity of messaging apps is growing, with Statista reporting that as of January 2023, WhatsApp had 2 billion monthly active users. Other popular messaging apps include:
- WeChat – 1.3 billion users
- Facebook Messenger – 931 million users
- Telegram – 700 million users
Data indicates that users spend an average of 34 minutes per day (over 17 hours per month) on WhatsApp. This level of user engagement offers an opportunity for marketing messages to be integrated into the user experience.
According to WhatsApp’s own data, over 175 million people message WhatsApp Business accounts every day. Users want to interact with businesses through messages on their mobile devices, increasing opportunities to service mobile commerce customers.
Moreover, ReportLinker data shows that messaging app users are estimated to reach 6.9 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 8.5% from 2022 to 2030. As the user base of messaging apps continues to grow, so too does the potential reach of communications within these platforms. The global nature of these apps also provides an opportunity for businesses to connect with international audiences, broadening their market reach.
67% of people prefer messaging businesses over speaking to a person. This preference is especially pronounced as online shopping and product searches have surged, and customers expect the same speed and convenience online as in physical stores.
Messaging allows brands to create more personal connections with customers, with 55% feeling more personally connected when they can message a business. This leads to increased customer confidence and loyalty to a brand.
In September 2023, Mark Zuckerberg personally announced the launch of broadcast channels on WhatsApp. Brands, creators, and influencers can share updates with their users directly on their mobile devices. A month later, the same feature was announced for Messenger as well.
3. Augmented Reality (AR) is Streamlining the Buyer Journey
Augmented reality is vital in mobile marketing trends, with the ability to significantly enhance the customer experience by using visual search and providing interactive and immersive product demonstrations. For instance, customers can use augmented reality to virtually try on clothes, apply makeup, or visualize how a piece of furniture would look in their space.
According to Grand View Research, the AR market was valued at $57.26 billion and is projected to reach $592.54 billion by 2030. This increase in market value indicates the increasing adoption of AR in various industries, including marketing and mobile commerce.
Statista reports that the number of AR users is estimated to reach 1.73 billion in 2024. Leveraging this technology can help businesses reach out to a wider audience, provide personalized customer experiences, and gain a competitive edge.
A Harvard Business Review article notes that 61% of consumers prefer retailers that provide an AR experience when using mobile shopping. 56% expressed that AR boosts their product quality confidence. Marker-based AR apps can scan an image or object, allowing businesses to add a 3D product model or promotional content that appears on their mobile apps.
Gartner predicts that by 2026, 25% of the population will spend at least one hour per day in the metaverse. The Metaverse is a collective virtual shared space, that combines physical reality with the digital world. People can use the Metaverse for purposes such as work, education, social interactions, and entertainment.
Gartner also predicts that by 2026, 30% of organizations are expected to have metaverse-ready products and services. They suggest that businesses can transition from being solely digital to becoming metaverse businesses, expanding and enhancing their mobile shopping and overall mobile usage for their brand.
Haircare brand Schwarzkopf used an augmented reality branded effect campaign on TikTok to showcase their range of hair dye colors. Mixed with an influencer marketing campaign, the brand saw over 10,000 people use their augmented reality filter in posted content.
4. AI Technology is Integrating Everywhere
According to IBM, 37% of businesses implemented AI technologies to improve their business goals, including marketing strategies. AI technology is transforming the marketing landscape automating repetitive tasks, predicting customer behavior, and creating personalized customer experiences.
Statista reports that 84% of marketing organizations were implementing or expanding AI and machine learning as of 2020. Machine learning, a subset of AI, can analyze customer data to make predictions about future behaviors and trends. In terms of mobile marketing strategy, this can be applied to improved product and content suggestions across mobile devices.
In a press release dated September 21, 2023, Gartner predicted that within the following five years, 60% of B2B seller work would be executed through generative AI technologies, up from less than 5% in 2023.
Generative AI is revolutionizing the mobile marketing landscape by providing personalized content and predictive insights. For instance, Spotify’s DJ has launched in 50 markets around the world and uses generative AI to curate personalized playlists for its users. This deep level of personalization results in higher user engagement and retention rates, contributing to their growth.
In the realm of AI-driven strategies, personalization in marketing is the practice of using data to tailor messages and experiences to the preferences of individual users, and it has implications for mobile marketing and especially mobile commerce.
As per SmarterHQ’s Privacy & Personalization report, 72% of individuals express a preference for marketing content that has been customized to their specific interests. In today’s intensely competitive landscape, the incorporation of personalized marketing on a mobile device is precisely the strategic approach that your retail or ecommerce marketing plan should prioritize.
The same report also revealed that 74% of consumers find mobile push notifications to be invasive, the highest rate for any of the marketing strategies. Mobile marketers need to be careful how they implement this particular mobile tactic.
In a McKinsey survey, consumers associated personalization with positive experiences that made them feel special. The survey highlights the following on personalization:
- Personalization in mobile marketing can reduce customer acquisition costs by as much as 50% and can lift revenues in mobile marketing by 5 to 15%.
- Implementing personalization effectively can lead to a 10 to 30% increase in mobile marketing return on investment (ROI).
- Companies with faster growth rates derive 40% more of their revenue from personalization than their slower-growing counterparts in mobile marketing.
- Customers expect personalized mobile interactions, with 71% expecting companies to deliver personalized mobile experiences.
- 76%of mobile customers get frustrated when personalized mobile interactions don’t happen.
In the future, personalization in mobile marketing is expected to extend beyond digital channels, especially as physical stores aim to rebuild business post-pandemic.
In the same McKinsey survey, the recommendations for mobile marketers are to aim to scale empathy by using advanced algorithms to respond to customers’ specific moods through their mobile commerce interactions. Another suggestion is to create connections among different points of interaction within mobile ecosystems will be an opportunity for organizations.
For example, Starbucks’ mobile app has become central to its operations, handling a significant portion of transactions (a quarter of 100 million weekly transactions). The app also provides personalized features using AI and includes a chatbot feature called My Starbucks Barista, which permits customers to place orders with the assistance of an AI chatbot.
5. 5G Optimization is Bringing Faster Connections
5G networks covered 35% of the global population in 2022 and are expected to cover 85% of the world by 2028. As the adoption of 5G continues to rise, mobile marketers need to optimize their campaigns to leverage the enhanced speed and latency capabilities of this technology. This means more interactive ad content, while its low latency can lead to improved real-time engagement, providing a more seamless and responsive user experience.
Ericsson forecasts that the number of 5G subscriptions will reach 1.5 billion by 2024. Marketing strategies to take advantage of this could include creating advertising content specifically designed for these next mobile users first, or developing new ways to harness the capabilities of 5G to improve the customer experience.
Approximately 87% of enterprises believe 5G can create a competitive advantage. As a result, mobile marketers should consider the specific ways in which 5G will alter their sector and adjust their strategies accordingly.
For example, in industries where real-time data exchange is crucial, 5G could offer unprecedented opportunities for instant communication and data-driven decision-making, such as mobile gaming and virtual and augmented reality. Understanding these industry-specific implications will be a crucial part of 5G optimization.
6. Mobile Gaming is Holding Strong in Reach
In 2022, revenue from mobile gaming apps generated $92.2 billion, down from $98.22 billion in 2021. These numbers solidify the significance of mobile gaming within the broader mobile marketing landscape and reflect changing usage patterns during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Game developers constantly employ ingenious marketing strategies, from in-app purchases to advertising collaborations, contributing to a vibrant and evolving marketplace.
The pandemic led to a significant surge in mobile gaming, with over 1 billion weekly downloads of mobile games in March 2020. Mobile gaming’s popularity had been on the rise even before the pandemic, with mobile games contributing to a substantial portion of the global video game market’s revenue.
During the pandemic, consumers spent $1.7 billion per week on mobile games, marking a 40% increase from pre-pandemic levels. Mobile gaming is experiencing a slight decline post-pandemic, but it still maintains higher engagement levels in 2022 compared to pre-pandemic times. The mobile gaming market remains a lucrative revenue source for app marketers, with gaming apps’ revenue surpassing that of streaming apps in 2022.
The projected revenue for the gaming industry in 2023 is estimated to reach $315.90 billion. To ensure mobile gaming success in a post-pandemic world, app marketers should focus on engaging users gained during the pandemic, create hyper-casual games, explore subscription-based gaming models, and implement retargeting campaigns to re-engage users.
In 2019, game marketing firm deltaDNA revealed that 94% of free mobile games now incorporate in-game advertising, an increase from 87% in the previous year. This indicates a growing trend of monetization through mobile advertising rather than solely relying on in-app purchases. In-game ads offer a valuable channel for mobile marketers to engage with actively gaming audiences, diversifying their advertising strategy.
Rewarded video ads are the most popular format, with 82% of games featuring them, followed by interstitial video ads (57%) and banners (34%). Game developers have grown more confident in their approach to ads, including balancing ads and in-app purchases to enhance user experiences. Concerns regarding in-game ad frequency include increased player churn, lower player enjoyment, and the impact on in-app purchase revenue.
Take the example of Candy Crush Saga, a popular game on mobile phones developed by King. The game is a demonstration of mobile marketing strategies in action. In Candy Crush, players can watch rewarded video ads to earn in-game items or extra lives, aligning with the trend of using ad viewing as a form of in-game currency.
Candy Crush also includes interstitial ads that appear between levels, contributing to the game’s revenue stream. This approach of balancing in-app purchases and ads has proven successful, as it offers mobile users the choice and control, enhancing their game experience while also increasing the game’s profitability.
How to Find Mobile Marketing Trends
Staying up-to-date with the latest mobile marketing trends doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Here are three ways you can keep your finger on the pulse:
Newsletters
Subscribing to industry-specific newsletters can be a rich source of current and top mobile marketing trends. Many marketing companies and thought leaders have weekly or monthly newsletters that highlight the latest developments in mobile marketing. Some even offer exclusive content and insights from experts in the field.
By subscribing to these newsletters, you can save time on researching trends yourself and get a condensed version of the most important information delivered straight to your inbox. For instance, MarketingProfs offers insights into various aspects of marketing, including digital marketing trends, content marketing, social media strategies, and more.
Social Media Accounts
Follow established marketing influencers and thought leaders on platforms like LinkedIn, TikTok, and Instagram. They often share valuable insights and discussions about the latest trends in mobile marketing.
TikTok and LinkedIn are particularly rich sources of such information. For example, Jayne Peressini is a mobile marketing guru for mobile gaming on LinkedIn and Brian Solis is a leader in mobile app marketing.
Industry Conferences and Webinars
These events can be goldmines of information, with experts discussing the latest effective mobile marketing strategies and predictions. To boost your mobile marketing efforts, look for annual conferences like the Mobile World Congress or frequent webinars hosted by reputable marketing organizations. Many of these events are now conducted virtually, making them more accessible to a wider audience.
For instance, the Mobile Marketing Association’s Impact Virtual is a global event that discusses the latest in mobile marketing innovation.
The Future of Mobile Marketing
As we look to the future of marketing in the mobile industry, it’s clear that as a mobile marketer, you’ll need to keep up with evolving mobile platforms and mobile trends. Advancements in AI will pave the way for more personalized and precise marketing techniques, delivered straight to consumers’ mobile devices.
Additionally, it’s worth keeping an eye on the integration of AR and VR in mobile marketing. These technologies promise rich, immersive experiences that will redefine customer engagement. Furthermore, the rise of 5G technology will enhance mobile connectivity, and ultimately, more seamless online experiences. This will enable marketers to deliver high-quality, real-time content to their target audience.
The rapid pace of technological advancement ensures that the world of mobile marketing will remain an exciting space in the years to come.