Startup Guides > How To Improve Your Mobile Advertising Campaign: 10 Tips

Figuring out how to use mobile ads for a startup or small business isn't exactly easy. Most entrepreneurs have struggled with online advertising, period. And adding mobile to the mix can seem confusing and expensive. But with so many people on their phones 24/7, neglecting to explore this new territory is a mistake.

Here are 10 tips for better mobile ad results:

1. Use In-Ad Engagement to Lower CPAs.

There is a rule in mobile that every additional click required loses half your audience. Make sure your ad is interactive, and encourage in-ad sign-ups for email or offer claiming. With this type of campaign, you will see click-through rates that are two times higher.

2. Know Your Audience First.

Too many mobile advertisers are spending before they know their mobile audiences and what they are trying to accomplish with them. When running a mobile advertising campaign, particularly one focused on app installs, you need to work backwards, understand your mobile customers, which ones use your app the most, why they do so and who they are. Then, and only then, can you start making mobile ad buys with a reasonable chance of growing your business in a successful and repeatable manner.


3. Timing, Timing And Timing.

Advice for creating and maintaining a successful mobile advertising campaign is to provide a relevant incentive for users to act immediately. Because mobile is all about immediacy, make sure to time your campaign according to when you want a user to take an action. Incentives could include a complimentary entertainment download or virtual coupon and are particularly effective when timed to the user being within a certain radius of a store or experience, too. In mobile, it's about giving the consumer the right moment to interact with your brand.

4. Location, Location, Location.

It's important to know where the best place to put an ad is. Effective ad placement differs depending on the company, but there are plenty of resources available to help you make the right choice.

5. Make It Social.

Networks such as Twitter were born as mobile platforms and still attribute a huge portion of their activity to mobile sources. Give your mobile advertising campaign some legs by adding and incentivizing social sharing. With a compelling reason to share, you can make your campaign more viral and, therefore, higher yielding.

And speaking of social media, don't forget online mobile marketing sites. You can visit 40Billion.com which is the fastest-growing network of entrepreneurs and crowdfunders. They specialize in the promotion of small businesses by broadcasting and promoting to its large network of several million users across the most popular social networking sites for small businesses - including Twitter, LinkedIn, 40Billion, and even Facebook. Innovative services like tweet ads and promoted company listings were created for entrepreneurs and marketers to tap into a growing, active network online without spending thousands on pay-per-click ads or traditional advertising. They also offer crowdfunding promotion and promote crowdfunders and their campaigns/projects across the mobile Web.

6. Use a Powerful Call to Action.

Although awareness campaigns are valuable, mobile advertising is more effective for direct response campaigns. The three most effective calls to action are discount coupons, buy-one-get-one promotions and free items.

7. Include a Phone Number.

Depending on the business, running a mobile advertising campaign with a phone number can be a very effective strategy. All users have to do when they see your ad is tap on the phone number and click call, and your phone is ringing with a lead. It's simple for the user and a great lead strategy for you. Just make sure someone picks up the phone when it rings.

8. Use Geotargeting.

Your mobile advertising campaign will be more successful by geotargeting advertisements to your audience. This makes your campaign more relevant and wastes fewer impressions, ultimately leading to higher engagement and follow through. Geotargeting will be a necessary component of all mobile campaigns in the near future.

9. Use the Right Analytics.

Mobile marketing has a lot of crucial considerations that are different from traditional digital marketing. Without the correct analytics, you will not be able to effectively segment, understand or target your efforts.

10. Integrate Your Efforts.

If you have a well-rounded mobile marketing and advertising strategy and integrate the mobile elements to work well and reinforce your overall brand message, you will have a successful mobile advertising campaign. Mobile marketing and advertising is maturing. People are now understanding that a mobile app or mobile-optimized website does not make up a mobile strategy or mobile campaign. Think about how mobile marketing will fit in with your overall marketing program and how it will enhance your existing relationship with your customers. Then take great care to create messages that are compelling and relevant.

Recommended: Keeping Up with the Changing Face of Advertising