Mobile Marketing for Marketers in Higher Education

If you’re marketing to an undergraduate prospect, you should consider mobile marketing. If you’re marketing to a Masters candidate, you should consider mobile marketing. If you’re marketing to an MBA candidate you must consider mobile marketing.

The proliferation of smartphones – nearly 50% of all mobile phones in the USA will be smartphones by mid-2011 – and nearly fanatical usage – Apple reports millions of apps have been downloaded – makes mobile marketing a must in the media mix for any higher educational institution. And the trends for 2010 fully support the need for serious marketers to acknowledge and adopt some form of mobile marketing. I spoke with Mickey Alam Khan, editor-in-chief of MobileMarketer.com, and discussed five key trends for 2010.

1. Apple is the instigator. First they introduced the iPhone as a game changer for consumer smartphone technology. Then they introduced the iPad as another game changer, this time for tablet technology. And now they are entering the mobile advertising arena through iAd, a very expensive yet exclusive ad network. Minimum budgets of $10 million are required making it another game changer in shifting the media spending toward mobile.

2. Mobile Commerce will take off. Fewer than 100 retailers currently have mobile commerce sites or applications. As more retailers and consumers see the benefits of ease of purchase with location awareness and ready access to information, mcommerce will explode and possibly revolutionize the retail industry.

3. Mobile Websites become critical. Smartphone users will increasingly utilize their device for online searches, information, entertainment and transactions. As a result, websites not optimized for the mobile device’s small screen will be of little value to the user. Conversely, those sites optimized (content and navigation) will see much greater value to the user resulting in stronger loyalty for repeat visits. There is no easier way to conquest than provide your customer with something your competition doesn’t.

4. Brands must include mobile in multichannel marketing. See my last sentence above.

5. Location services and advertising will spur concern over privacy by regulators and advocacy groups. Behavioral targeting has gained favor with advertisers with the ability to serve ads reflecting the individual users’ past history and interests thereby making not only the advertising more relevant but the user experience more relevant. Though user information is confidential, marketers may be challenged over privacy issues.

I’ll add a sixth trend. Higher Education institutions will recognize that the interests of their target audience is being held in their hand as they gaze and navigate their mobile devices. Increasingly, the full screen website viewed on a desktop or laptop is less used as the small screen website (or lack of) is viewed on a mobile device. I think by year-end, Higher Ed will begin consideration for using mobile marketing for lead generation, enrollment, and continued engagement.

In a couple of weeks, we will be posting my discussion with Mickey onto our website. We’ll send you the link.

It’s mid-October. Who will step out and set the pace. Call me. I’d love to help.