The cell phone is almost an "expansion of our being ''. At all times and almost everywhere, we are in possession of a mobile screen (cell phone or computer). Have you, as a company, used this to your marketing advantage? It has taken advantage of the use of cell phone apps and actions for mobile devices to leverage your actions?
These are important questions to ask, after all, the objective is always to use technology to our advantage, right? It's no wonder that we are always looking for new tools that help us optimize our time, results and resources.
As new technologies arrive all the time and, with that, new ways of doing marketing too (see the evolution we've gone through since marketing 1.0 until we reach marketing 5.0).
The evolution of cell phones Within this technological environment was also very intense. We started with the pager (if you remember it, you just gave away your age), then we had that first cell phone, that looked more like a brick, and then those that were a little (but not too) compact, like the Nokia, which had the snake game, remember?
In the past, cell phones worked for one purpose: making calls and, sometimes, receiving an SMS. As time went by, we began to have devices every time more compact and with more features.
The latest cameras and games arrived, and then we started paying more attention to apps! They came in more simplified versions and, over time, developed as technology advanced.
Today, we have countless professionals trained and specialized only in the development of the various stages of an application, after all, it is not just about having the idea, it is necessary to test the application, develop everything that is seen behind a beautiful application, which can serve both for leisure or for studying or even making your life and organization easier.
This is a topic we could talk about for hours, including IoT, artificial intelligence, big data and, above all, privacy. The feeling that “your phone is listening” usually comes from how browsing data, search history, location and app interactions are combined to deliver more personalized ads.
Voice assistants such as Siri or Google Assistant stay in a low-power listening mode only to detect the wake word before processing audio. Even so, it is crucial to adjust app permissions and understand how Brazil’s LGPD protects personal data in the digital environment, ensuring a responsible use of these technologies in your Mobile Marketing.
Now, since all this exists, you can imagine that marketing also exists within this mobile universe, since nothing escapes marketing! Let's get to know a little more about Mobile Marketing.
Mobile Marketing in practice for your business
Mobile Marketing brings together marketing actions designed for mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, taking advantage of how present they are in people’s daily lives. This strategy includes channels like social media, SMS, WhatsApp, email, chatbots, blog posts and in-app ads to strengthen branding, nurture relationships and drive sales. By using location-based targeting, specific mobile metrics (such as installs and app retention) and privacy practices aligned with data protection laws, your company can reach the right people, at the right time, through the channels they already use all the time.
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Use social media, SMS, WhatsApp, email and apps as Mobile Marketing channels;
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Leverage the high adoption of smartphones to strengthen branding and relationships;
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Target campaigns by region and proximity to your store using GPS;
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Track metrics such as CPI, CAC, retention and engagement inside apps;
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Plan campaigns in line with data protection rules, with clear opt-in and opt-out.
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What you will see in today’s content
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How smartphones became part of our daily lives and marketing;
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What Mobile Marketing is and which devices it runs on;
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Main Mobile Marketing channels, from social media to apps;
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The key advantages of Mobile Marketing for companies;
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How paid traffic works in campaigns for mobile devices;
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How to use geographic and behavioral targeting to improve results;
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The importance of privacy and data protection rules in Mobile Marketing;
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A practical example of a segmented campaign for a local business.
What is Mobile Marketing?
Mobile Marketing is the name given to marketing actions within mobile devices, and this marketing strategy has proven to be a trend, given the increasingly frequent use of mobile devices.
When we talk about advertising and marketing, a multitude of campaigns and techniques automatically come to our mind, but the fact is that, although marketing is truly one of the most effective ways of leveraging results, it needs to be structured. It’s not just about having a pretty logo and colors.
And this would be no different when arriving on mobile devices.
Within Mobile Marketing, we are talking about actions for any and all devices that have an IOS, Android and other operating systems, not just the cell phone itself.
Within this universe, several actions can be developed with the aim of promoting products, reinforcing branding and even cultivating relationships with your customer (the basis of Inbound Marketing).
Among the actions of Mobile Marketing are social networks, SMS messages, WhatsApp messages, sending emails, use of chatbots, blog posts and, of course, marketing in applications, both organically and through traffic paid out.
More like this:
- Win over second-graders with mobile marketing
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- Social networks and mobile marketing: 5 mistakes you cannot make
And what are the advantages of Mobile Marketing?
Well, if we are talking about using a marketing strategy, it is necessary to understand what the advantages of this marketing strategy are. So, here are 3 advantages for you to think about your business strategy:
1. Increase in the use of mobile devices
According to the latest FGVcia research on IT use in Brazil, the country has an average of 1.2 smartphones per inhabitant, which represents around 258 million smartphones in use. This keeps Brazil among the global leaders in mobile adoption and shows how people are practically connected to a mobile device all the time.
From working from home or in a hybrid system to using social media or shopping online, life happens online all the time.
This means that the mobile market is increasingly open to new technologies and new ways of attracting consumers.
2. Faster and more assertive communication
With your cell phone in your hand all the time, it is very likely that the fastest way to communicate with whoever you want is through something that exists inside the device: SMS,WPP (WhatsApp), social networks, pushes, etc.
In the same way that your customer probably uses these means to contact you, you can and should also use them to have closer and faster contact with your consumer.
3. Communication regardless of geography
If you are a Brazilian company and need to communicate with a client who is in Australia, certainly the best way to find this person is not by letter, right?
Mobile Marketing allows you to talk to people, regardless of where they are, as long as you have their contact details or are on an app they use.
It also allows you to segment your campaigns and ads by region (we'll talk more about this).
Image: The constant presence of smartphones in our routine is what enables effective Mobile Marketing strategies.
However, all this ease of contact brings a critical point: how you handle personal data. In Mobile Marketing, it is essential to obtain clear consent before sending SMS, WhatsApp messages, emails, push notifications or using geolocation, always respecting the legal bases of Brazil’s LGPD and recording users’ opt-in and opt-out preferences.
Addressing privacy from the planning stage increases brand trust, reduces legal risk and improves performance, because you communicate only with people who truly want to hear from you. Use forms, terms of use and preference centers to document consent and keep your contact database compliant.
How does paid traffic work in Mobile Marketing?
Paid traffic in Mobile Marketing will largely depend on your company’s objective! Remember that, like countless other marketing strategies, mobile aims to interact, engage and influence your customers and leads (lead them to purchase) through specific actions, only for mobile devices.
One of the main advantages of using paid traffic in Mobile Marketing, without a doubt, is segmentation.
If, in traditional digital marketing, we have some limitations when we talk about regions, in mobile, we don't. We are able to optimize campaigns by region (which is a great help for local businesses).
A considerable part of the mobile devices found on the market currently have the GPS location service (generally activated when the person is configuring the device), this means that you can use this data to optimize your campaigns.
For example: if you are a sweet shop located in the center of the city of São Paulo, there is no reason to invest in traffic by sending an ad to Curitiba, Paraná. With geographic segmentation, you can be more assertive when approaching your leads.
When you choose to launch a campaign optimized for mobile applications (such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, etc.), there is a greater chance of having better results, judging by the fact that cell phones are a place where people access social networks more easily.
How to make paid traffic? You can target your campaigns only to people who are using their cell phone (both Google and YouTube campaigns, and Facebook Leads campaigns).
Understanding this logic and applying the benefits of the strategy in favor of your business, you will have excellent results.
Let's show an example to make it more didactic:
Let's go back to the sweet shop located in the center of São Paulo. You (the bakery owner) can upload a Google or Facebook campaign for the São Paulo region within a 5km radius of your point of sale. Will it work? Probably; But what if you can segment more?
If you know that the average lunch time for companies around your business is 12pm, how about running a campaign optimized for people in the neighborhood (GPS), offering a discount coupon for coffee at lunch time?
The chances of someone picking up their cell phone while eating lunch are high! Combining the optimization strategy by region and time with good visual appeal can bring promising results.
Oh, it is also possible to invest in a display Google/discovery, in this case, as in the example below, Google directs your ad to appear on third-party websites.
Now, when it's time to invest in paid traffic, Always remember to study your target audience and understand your campaign objective well so that you can optimize your entire strategy in the best possible way.
Beyond segmentation, successful paid traffic in apps depends on tracking mobile marketing metrics such as CPI (cost per install), CAC, retention rate and in-app engagement. Without watching these indicators, it’s hard to know whether clicks actually turned into recurring usage and revenue.
Configure key events in your app (sign-up, purchase, form submission, course completion, etc.) and connect them to your media platforms. This allows you to run A/B tests on creatives and landing pages, optimize budgets based on real data and scale only the campaigns that truly drive business results.
And speaking of "being where your audience is", how about learning a little more about videos?
We recently made some really cool content available here on the blog to help you understand YouTube better, take advantage and check it out: how to create a YouTube channel: a guide on how to do well on the platform!
Frequently asked questions about Mobile Marketing
What is Mobile Marketing?
Mobile Marketing is the set of marketing actions carried out on mobile devices, such as smartphones and other gadgets with IOS, Android or similar operating systems. It covers product promotion, branding and customer relationship building through channels people already use every day. These actions include social media, SMS, WhatsApp messages, emails, chatbots, blog posts and in-app marketing, both organically and through paid traffic focused on mobile experiences.
On which channels can I apply a Mobile Marketing strategy?
A Mobile Marketing strategy can be applied to almost everything users access on their mobile devices. This includes social media, SMS campaigns, WhatsApp messages, email marketing, chatbots, mobile-friendly blog posts and specific campaigns inside apps. It is also possible to invest in ads for mobile apps and formats such as display and discovery, directing traffic to experiences designed primarily for the smartphone screen, where users are most active and engaged.
What are the main advantages of Mobile Marketing?
The main advantages of Mobile Marketing are linked to the intensive use of mobile devices and the ease of contact. With a high average number of smartphones per inhabitant, people are almost always connected, which makes continuous communication possible. Companies can reach customers through channels they already use, such as WhatsApp and social media, in a quick and convenient way. In addition, Mobile Marketing allows communication regardless of location, with segmentation by region and proximity, which is especially strategic for local businesses.
How does paid traffic work in Mobile Marketing?
Paid traffic in Mobile Marketing follows the same logic as digital campaigns but with a specific focus on mobile devices. The company defines its goals, chooses channels (such as Google, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) and sets campaigns to reach people browsing on their phones. A major differentiator is geographic targeting, often based on GPS data, which allows ads to be shown only in selected areas. To succeed, it is crucial to track metrics, configure events inside the app or page and optimize creatives, schedules and audiences using real performance data.
How can I use geographic targeting and practical examples in Mobile Marketing?
Geographic targeting allows you to show ads only to people in certain regions, which is very valuable for local businesses. One example is a bakery in downtown São Paulo that advertises only to people within a 5 km radius of the store. The strategy becomes even more precise by considering peak times, such as lunch breaks, and offering a discount coupon for coffee during this period. Since people often check their phones while eating, the campaign becomes more relevant and the chances of visits and sales increase.
What privacy and data protection care are required in Mobile Marketing?
In Mobile Marketing, handling personal data responsibly and in line with data protection laws is essential. This means obtaining clear consent to send SMS, WhatsApp messages, emails, push notifications and to use geolocation, always recording opt-in and opt-out preferences. Addressing privacy from the campaign planning stage strengthens trust in the brand and reduces the risk of penalties. It also improves results, because communication focuses on people who truly want to receive messages and are more likely to engage with your content.
Which metrics and indicators should be tracked in Mobile Marketing campaigns?
In Mobile Marketing campaigns, tracking specific metrics helps you understand whether your investments are paying off. For apps, indicators such as CPI (cost per install), CAC, retention rate and in-app engagement are key. It is also important to configure relevant events, such as sign-ups, purchases, form submissions or course completions, and connect them to your media platforms. With this data, you can run A/B tests, optimize creatives and landing pages and allocate budget to the campaigns that actually deliver the best performance.
How does the bakery example illustrate a good Mobile Marketing strategy?
The bakery example in downtown São Paulo shows how Mobile Marketing and segmentation can work together. Instead of advertising to random cities, the business targets people within a nearby radius using geographic targeting. The strategy becomes stronger by aligning with local lunch hours and offering a discount coupon for coffee during that time. Since many people use their phones while having lunch, the campaign reaches them at the right moment, making the offer more relevant and increasing the likelihood of visits and sales.
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