Mobile Marketing Mondays: Using Apps to Improve Email Acquisition

In a recent article on ClickZ, Dave Daniels discusses the pros and cons of using mobile applications to improve email acquisition. He argues for the use of Mobile in-app sign-up ads as an answer to the biggest complaint regarding mobile marketing: low ROI.

According to a study Daniels’ company conducted, the biggest deterrent for marketers when it comes to mobile advertising is low ROI, or the difficulty of determining the overall impact such ads can have. To address some common concerns over the effectiveness of traditional methods of marketing and dental and medical mobile website marketing, such as banner ads and click-based marketing, Daniels argues successful mobile marketing requires a fundamental change in approach, to not only respect user experience, but provide meaningful and valuable engagement.

Focus on Email Subscribers to Succeed in Mobile Advertising

eMarketer predicts mobile advertising spending will reach $1 billion in 2011, so how do marketers increase their ROI and determine the effectiveness of their advertising campaigns, while preserving the user experience?

Daniels argues for the use of mobile in-app sign-ups to allow users to easily connect with brands and organizations. By focusing on the opt-in style of marketing, where a consumer subscribes to an email newsletter or special offers from within an application or mobile website, the user can decide to interact with the ad whenever they please, thus preserving the experience and offering something of value in return. This approach also helps those running the campaigns further define the ROI, as they only pay for those users that complete the email subscription form.

As mobile advertising spend continues to grow with the explosion in popularity of mobile devices, the question is no longer concerned with the importance of simply having a presence with a mobile version of your website, but how you will reach new patients in this landscape.