Mobile and Social Take Over the Marketing World
It’s most likely stating the obvious to convey how important Mobile and Social are when it comes to marketing. However, the numbers are truly staggering to consider. A whopping 23.6 hours on average is spent by Americans each week online with Social Media taking the lion share of that time (mdg advertising, 2018). The time spent on mobile phones per day comes out to an average of 5.4 hours (Kommando Tech). As a brand in this day in age, either Company or person, a presence on social media is the only way to stay relevant. Not only that, but since 70% of mobile sessions are less than 2 minutes, the message must be relevant, timely, and informative (Kommando Tech).
As close as last year the term “influencer” meant younger millennial interest to many. For marketers in 2020, Influencers are the key to branding, promoting, advertising, and most of all staying relevant for a consumer market increasingly looking to social media as a way to combat the isolation from current circumstances. According to Mintel’s Internet Influencers – US, March 2020 finds the share of social media users following influencers grew from 54% in 2019 to 61% in 2020. People are entertained by content that speaks to them, informs, enriches and influencers are the keys to meeting them on this level (Mintel, 2020)
Content is the link to making sure a brand is appropriately poised to take advantage of the growing influence in the mobile and social marketing environment. For a brand looking for some guidance, here’s a great combination for social engagement success:
- Tell a story – audiences want to be entertained with video stories: These don’t have to be epic adventures, a six-second story will work for most!
- Be Inspirational – Show your brand’s charitable side or connection. Most millennials are influenced by cause marketing.
- Be Informative – Enrich your audience! Infographics, vlogs, podcasts, and whitepapers are great ways to increase value and credibility for the brand
The COVID Connection
Let’s face it, COVID has altered the way we live and, for our purposes, the way we market, forever. Everything is 24/7. Although we have newfound convenience to work remotely, we’re isolated, stressed and the lines between the office and home are as close together as the fridge and the sofa. But it’s not all bad, as marketers we have a real opportunity to meet our consumers at their level. Gain a level of understanding, data, and then ultimately aim to add value to their lives with our content. What we know for sure:
- More workers working virtually
- Consumers seek out information from Social Media in order to keep up with friends and in-lieu of in-person communication
- In-app revenue remains strong (consumers are continuing to download, use apps and click on ads)
- The more people seek out a connection to cure isolation through social apps and mobile, the better opportunities a brand has to engage
- Opportunities to teach
The current chatter on LinkedIn is that many businesses are adapting to the quarantine circumstances, realizing that in-person offices may be irrelevant and costly, resulting in permanent work-from-home situations. This is significant for brands because people will continue to cure isolation through social apps and mobile and the brands that will be able to engage and inform will thrive. Phone App revenue is and will continue to be strong during and after COVID: consumer spend in non-gaming apps has grown nearly 50% since mid-March, and gaming revenue surged 42% by early May. (Clevertap)
How Mobile/Social Will Change The Role of a College Professor
All of this info is well and good but how does it affect me and how can I use the challenges it’s presented in my past career to move me forward? Good question! I don’t claim to hold magic powers or a crystal ball, but I have my guesses.
I’ve found that new technology in mobile and all the opportunities that social present have posed challenges for me in the past while working in the capacity as a Director of Marketing because in a blink of an eye, the profession changes. It was hard to leave a full-time job when I became pregnant with Twins, so much changed in the two years I spent home with them that I felt “virtually” left behind. However, those same changes became incredible opportunities for growth in my future career. Universities need dynamic professionals who can teach the basic foundations for marketing but who are also thought leaders in emerging marketing technology. The situation for me was ideal, I came to find I have a passion for teaching but still wanted a way to challenge myself to be on top of the latest in a digital sense. With teaching, I found the flexibility to take care of my family but also keep my marketing skills and interests sharp for the future.
But what if I don’t want to go back to a full-time marketing position? The truth is, I’ve enjoyed consulting and teaching part-time so much that I believe that it is my passion to move forward. I found myself doing consulting work mainly to keep up with digital and industry skills relevant to my students. How do you build your career from Adjunct to full-time Professor? That is what plagues me. Higher Ed is tough enough to get into as an Adjunct, let alone as a Non-Tenure Track Professor. Teaching in higher ed ideally requires a Ph.D. but I don’t believe that In marketing that should be make or break. Don’t get me wrong, I believe in education to craft minds which is why I’m working hard to obtain a Master’s, and potentially an Education Doctorate. But what I personally find most helpful are updates to my skills in the form of certifications, seminars, and training. Now I just have to convince a board to hire me! All while keeping my options open for other potential opportunities.
I believe marketing/advertising Professors will need to have the following qualities because it is what the future of the industry for students demands:
- Master’s in Digital Innovation (of course)
- Multidisciplinary knowledge in the psychology and behavior of consumers in Mobile App and Social connection
- Like Healthcare professionals, Marketing/Advertising Professors will need a certain amount of ongoing certificate training on programs, emerging tech, trends, and Social apps
References
Accenture.com. 2020. COVID-19: Fast-Changing Consumer Behavior | Accenture. [online] Available at: <https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insights/consumer-goods-services/coronavirus-consumer-behavior-research> [Accessed 6 September 2020].
Digital Marketing Institute. 2020. The Importance Of Social Media In Higher Education. [online] Available at: <https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/the-importance-of-social-media-in-higher-education> [Accessed 6 September 2020].
DrumUp Blog. 2020. 7 Types Of Social Media Content That Drive Most Engagement – What Experts Say (& Real Life Examples) – Drumup Blog. [online] Available at: <https://blog.drumup.io/blog/7-types-of-social-media-content-that-drive-most-engagement/> [Accessed 6 September 2020].
Farzad, K., 2020. Login • Instagram. [online] Instagram.com. Available at: <https://www.instagram.com/kevinfarzad/> [Accessed 6 September 2020].
Gigante, M., 2020. How Social Media Has Changed The Ad Game [Infographic]. [online] MDG Advertising. Available at: <https://www.mdgadvertising.com/marketing-insights/infographics/how-social-media-changed-the-ad-game-infographic/> [Accessed 6 September 2020].
KommandoTech. 2020. How Much Time Does The Average Person Spend On Their Phone?. [online] Available at: <https://kommandotech.com/statistics/how-much-time-does-the-average-person-spend-on-their-phone/#:~:text=More%20than%205%20billion%20people%20own%20mobile%20phones%2C,baby%20boomers%20devote%205%20hours%20to%20their%20smartphones.> [Accessed 6 September 2020].
Medium. 2020. How COVID-19 Has Changed User Behavior On Mobile. [online] Available at: <https://medium.com/mobile-marketing-insights-by-clevertap/how-covid-19-has-changed-user-behavior-on-mobile-d6a5b0410600> [Accessed 6 September 2020].
Page, C., 2020. Work In Progress Quotes (16 Quotes). [online] Goodreads.com. Available at: <https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/work-in-progress> [Accessed 6 September 2020].
Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech. 2020. Demographics Of Social Media Users And Adoption In The United States. [online] Available at: <https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/social-media/> [Accessed 6 September 2020].
Reports-mintel-com.libproxy.temple.edu. 2019. Mobile Phones – March, 2019. [online] Available at: <https://reports-mintel-com.libproxy.temple.edu/display/923866/?fromSearch=%3Ffreetext%3Dmobile%2520marketing> [Accessed 6 September 2020].
Reports-mintel-com.libproxy.temple.edu. 2020. Restaurant Marketing Strategies: Inc Impact Of Covid-19 June, 2020. [online] Available at: <https://reports-mintel-com.libproxy.temple.edu/display/1025713/?fromSearch=%3Ffreetext%3Dsocial%2520media%2520marketing> [Accessed 6 September 2020].
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