Realising the value of mobile moments

There’s no denying that mobile has changed the way we live – and as a result, it’s also changed what we expect of brands. Having the internet in our pockets means we’re able to take immediate action on any impulse we have, at any time. So why aren’t more marketers making use of in-the-moment campaigns to target mobile users?

According to Google:

81% of mobile searches are driven by speed and convenience

82% of smartphone users turn to their phone to influence a purchase decision while in store

91% turn to their phone for ideas while completing a given task

90% have used their phone to make progress toward a long term goal or multi-step process while out and about

With speed and convenience driving smartphone searches, mobile users now expect to be able to quickly find something not only relevant and useful, but also high quality. And that’s precisely why reactive campaigns that target mobile users can have such success: because they’re happening in real-time, they’re relevant and they’re useful.

Case study 1: Uber and #KeepLondonMoving

Uber’s on-demand car service is a great example of mobile success powered by convenience.

What Uber offers certainly isn’t a new concept by any means – we’ve been calling taxis from our smartphones for years – but it’s the company’s mobile mindset that makes its app a success.

Uber gives its tech-savvy young audience everything they need in just a few taps, wherever they are; its customers love using it because it provides an experience based on convenience.

And convenience is exactly what the app delivers. During last year’s Tube strike, Uber got stranded commuters on its side by offering 50% off all shared journeys.

By sending an email out to customers registered in the affected area as well as tweeting from its @Uber_LDN account and sending in-app messages, the brand was able to reach customers on the go and offer them a great incentive to invite friends and colleagues to sign up and share a ride with them.

Source: @paul__armstrong on Twitter

The brand gained a lot of traction on social media, spreading its reach even further, and was commended by many for offering ease and value in a time of high demand. According to Uber, during the Tube strike:

There were 30 times more split-fare rides than usual

The most avid rider took 15 Uber trips

The keenest fare splitter took 8 split-fare trips

The average arrival time was 7 minutes across the whole network

@Uber_LDN also gained 4 times more followers than its daily average on Twitter, according to data from Skift.

Case study 2: Topshop does #LFW

Having invested heavily in integrating online and offline channels, high-street fashion brand Topshop is also saying yes to mobile moments.

At this year’s London Fashion Week, Topshop experimented with Twitter to help generate sales from the social buzz that would surround the event.

The brand latched on to Fashion Week trends and used digital billboards in heavy footfall areas in cities across the UK to display the hashtagged trends with Topshop products that matched them.

Source: Stylus

Customers who were out and about could tweet @Topshop direct from their phone with the specific hashtag they were interested in. Topshop would then reply with a curated collection of products in that style available for purchase right away via a shoppable link.

Each of the billboards was positioned within 10 minutes of a Topshop store, driving footfall by encouraging the public – who were already out shopping or about to pass a store – to try on the trends before anyone else, helping Topshop cement its position among the most trendsetting and fashion-forward of the high street chains.

The billboards also served to bring a fairly exclusive and elite fashion event back to the high street.

The case for embracing mobile moments

Reactive marketing has taken off in recent years, with brands like Paddy Power and Oreo making waves on social networks. But the really clever campaigns are those that transcend social media and turn digital recognition and awareness not only into sales but also a worthwhile customer experience.

Uber

Uber used the Tube strike to offer value to existing customers at a time when they would really benefit

The fare-sharing nature of the offer also encouraged new signups, while helping to ensure demand could be met and customers wouldn’t be left disappointed

The campaign offered a convenient and timely solution to a problem Uber knew its customers had – which is why it was so successful

Topshop

Topshop used the buzz surrounding London Fashion Week as a platform to showcase their products to its target audience

The customised, real-time nature of the campaign was a big hit, letting fashion fans shop for selected trends from the catwalk literally as they became trends

Again, the campaign was convenient and timely, curating shopping lists for customers and sending shoppable links straight to their smartphones

Points to take away

In a mobile world, real-time marketing to on-the-go consumers can be a huge hit

Mobile users want convenience and speed, and any campaign targeted at mobile must tick those boxes

A great real-time campaign isn’t just a gimmick – it offers real value and relevance to mobile customers while fulfilling their need for instant gratification