By Marco Balic
Smartphones are a part of our regular lives. People can’t go a day without checking theirs – and that makes for great marketing opportunities. Through mobile advertising campaigns and geofencing, all those ads in your favorite pocket-sized games and news apps could be yours!
Promoting your brand on desktop remains important, but mobile devices are a game-changer. In a 2018 report from the Interactive Advertising Bureau, mobile advertising consisted of 65.1% of all internet ad revenue, and that number shows no sign of stopping. Those must-have games, social networks, and news outlets on people’s phones are vehicles through which you can drive up exposure and sales!
Mobile App Advertising Campaigns
Mobile devices pose a unique opportunity for a PPC campaign through popular apps. But before you can begin advertising, develop a strategy. It helps to know who your audience is before defining your objective, such as raising brand awareness, generating sales, or increasing online traffic. You can also consider popular platforms to use; for example, Google Ads allows you to target mobile devices through their Display Network, while Facebook and Instagram have their Audience Network.
Mobile ads come in many shapes and sizes, so it’s crucial that you choose the right format to deliver your message. Banners are cost-effective and make for a great start, while videos yield high engagement. Native ads are formatted to the way the app looks and functions (such as ads blending into a list of news articles). Interstitial ads are attention-grabbing, taking up screen space during loading periods or transitions; these include interactive previews of mobile games. The format you choose depends on what you’re trying to say, who you’re trying to say it to, and what actions you want out of an impression. And don’t forget that your ads need to look good on a small screen!
The Basics of Geofencing
Imagine potential clients seeing your ads in popular apps when they’re nearby your office or visiting a competitor. That’s the power of geofencing, which uses the two biggest aspects of mobile devices: people carry them everywhere they go, and they use them for popular apps!
Geofencing is set up by creating a virtual “fence” around a building or area. Anytime a potential customer enters the virtual perimeter, your ads will display on apps they own, whether they’re checking sports news updates or an avid solitaire player. Advertisements can even stick with them, reminding them about your services after they’ve already left. On top of all this, geofencing can perform real-time conversion tracking. Data on which stores a potential customer visits, how long their visits last, and what products they may be buying can all be at your fingertips.
How You Can Use Geofencing
Let’s look at an example. If you were the owner of a shoe store, you could try making a virtual fence around a large shoe retailer (like DSW) near your city. Customers who are waiting in line as they finish a level in Candy Crush can see an advertisement for your store. The chance of them choosing your store next time they need shoes increases.
You could offer rewards to customers who have previously visited your store. You can take advantage of a local event by advertising to attendees of an outdoor concert today (someone will probably get their shoes dirty). Want to increase how many running shoes you sell? Use geofencing to tailor to customers who hang around the aisles with sports shoes!
Need Help Advertising on Popular Apps?
Want your business to advertise on applications like Candy Crush, New York Times, or Kim Kardashian: Hollywood? Want to see how geofencing and other mobile ad techniques can help your business soar? We can help! Paid advertising is one of our many specialties here at Blue Ridge Media Company, a creative marketing agency who can help you blow away the competition. If you need an online ad campaign, digital analytics, a renovated website, or other marketing solutions, contact us at (216) 233-3009!
