There is no denying that mobile marketing is one of the hottest topics in 2012. If you are a marketer in the United States, more than likely you have at least one article in your inbox describing and outlining the benefits of mobile marketing.

According to eMarketer, there will be more than 106 million smartphone users in the U.S by the end of this year, and that number is projected to top 148 million by 2015.

With the growing population of mobile device users combined with the up and coming generation of super texting teens, we can all understand the need to have a solid mobile experience for our customers.

What To Do With Mobile Analytics?

In response, we have modified our websites so that they can be viewed on mobile devices, and we have optimized our emails so that they can be read on smart phones. But now what?

The answer is optimization and target marketing.

Once a new marketing medium is established and deemed worth the level of effort, we then look to how we can optimize our efforts, specific to the channel.

Television has done this for years with Nielsen ratings. Web-based marketing teams use various forms of web analytics tools. Email service providers have built in analytics tools to measure conversions. Mobile marketing tools have now advanced to the point that you can leverage these same analytics strategies and apply them to your mobile marketing program.

As mobile marketers, we have access to a second level of analytics that goes beyond the number of email messages opened and SMS messages delivered. For instance, we can now view what type of device an email message was viewed on and what type of phone an SMS message was viewed with.

Applying Mobile-Specific Data

The question then becomes what to do with this type of data. The best solution is one that leverages these types of analytics to create a smarter mobile program.

For instance, publishers have an opportunity to promote their mobile applications in a very targeted manner. This begins with leveraging a regularly scheduled email communication.

The publisher can use analytics tools to determine if the email is being read on a mobile device, what type of device (smartphone or tablet) and through which operating system. For consumers who are using smartphones and tablets, the publisher can send a message offering to download the application that is applicable to them.

Gaming companies that have mobile applications have an opportunity to communicate with their gamers in a more personal and targeted way as well. It starts by leveraging regularly scheduled SMS communications. Again, gaming companies can use analytics tools to determine if the SMS message is being read via an Android or iOS device.

When upgrades to games become available, gaming companies can send targeted messages acknowledging they know which type of smartphone or tablet is being used and offer an efficient way to upgrade the gaming application.

What about the retail space? In retail, the visual aspect of your marketing program is even more important than other industries. The way your products look and render in your mobile communications can significantly impact a customer’s decision to purchase.

Customize, And See If It Helps

Once again, begin with regularly scheduled email or SMS communications. Leverage analytics tools to determine how the customer is reading your emails and begin creating different versions of your email messaging designed and coded to meet the needs of mobile devices. Use analytics tools to determine if you are achieving a higher return on investment.

As with all new marketing media, some of us rush to be the first in line to test the waters, while others wait to read reports of how our industry is benefiting before we jump in.

We all, however, have the same hope of being able to report back to our executive management the large revenue gains we have achieved on behalf of our company. Make sure you are taking advantage of the analytics tools that are available to you. You will become a smarter marketer by creating a more targeted program for your company and your customer.

Why cross-inform? First of all, consumers are demanding it. Today’s consumers are quick to point out when a business fails to recognize them as a customer or recognize a behavior they have already taken. But more importantly, cross-informed marketing efforts lead to deeper relevance, customer value, and faster, more accurate optimization. The “why” isn’t hard; it’s the “how” that takes some work.

It all starts with a better understanding of what consumers want. Consumers now expect to be able to interact with brands whenever and wherever it suits their lifestyle — and they want brands to be smart enough to recognize this fact and keep up.

Tackling The Biggest Challenge

Easier said than done! According to Forrester Research’s Email Marketing Client Reference survey, conducted in Q4 2011, integrating email with other channels was cited as the biggest challenge facing email marketers over the next two years. This is the trend across the board, and the fact remains that most marketers are not integrating messaging across channels.

Instead, companies are managing marketing efforts through a variety of vendors for email, mobile and SMS and as a result maintain separate marketing plans with separate objectives, goals and results.

It’s time to shift focus to the consumer. And we don’t have two years to do it -– the time is now.

One Step At A Time

Customer-focused integrated messaging organizes data, resources and processes around customers, not channels. So how do you depart from your old ways to build customer-focused messaging? Focus on actionable, achievable steps:

• Work with your technology team, customer intelligence team, and external partners to build a unified view of a customer across touch points.
• Map out an ideal, successful customer journey.
• Evaluate the tools you have on hand. Do you need integrated data support? Can you consolidate your point solutions?
• Baby steps: Add one new channel to your messaging plans at a time.
• Develop metrics that gauge the integration of channels with each other.

Once your messaging is consistent across channels, you can tell a more complete story and begin unlocking customer insights that will help inform and optimize your marketing efforts.

Three Concrete Actions

Let’s look at some ways that email marketers can leverage their customer-focused integrated messaging to deliver a better multichannel experience.

Subject Lines: Congratulations! Your optimized subject line delivered outstanding results for your email campaign. Now what? How about using that subject line to drive more relevant tweets and Facebook posts? Or adjusting your SEM, display and SMS campaigns to include subject line content?

Click Patterns: Click patterns within an email can inform the rest of your marketing channels — from social to display. Which pieces of content are resonating? What links and landing pages receive the most activity? Use this data for a more intelligent advertising strategy, SEO, social messaging and highly relevant retargeting initiatives.

And Vice Versa: Cross-informing works in reverse as well. SEM & SEO keyword analysis can be used to drive stronger results as well. Leverage your most successful keywords for content in your emails, SMS and social media.

Multi-channel marketing through digital channels demands an integrated approach. With greater integration comes a better understanding of your customers, a stronger impact on business objectives, and ultimately a loyal and happy customer base. Do it now, and let your competitors take the two years to catch up!