Mobile marketing: what it is and why it’s strategic

Mobile marketing is the set of marketing actions aimed at users on mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, or feature phones. It is also defined as “any marketing activity conducted through an omnipresent network to which consumers are always connected via a personal mobile device.”

This is why it is crucial today: in Italy, over 40% of online purchases are made via mobile, and companies are increasingly investing in this channel, which now accounts for more than half of total digital advertising.

In mobile marketing, there are many available channels, each with specific advantages. SMS remain among the most effective: extremely high open rates and immediacy make them perfect for flash promotions or reminders, while MMS add multimedia content for more engaging messages. Push notifications, on the other hand, only reach those who have installed your app and guarantee targeted communication—with better performance on Android compared to iOS.

If you have a physical presence, proximity marketing is a powerful tool: thanks to technologies such as iBeacon or geofencing, you can send offers only when the user is near your store. Apps also play a key role, especially if well ranked through ASO (App Store Optimization): in addition to offering loyalty-driving features, they allow you to communicate directly via in-app messaging.

There are also more creative formats, such as in-game advertising, which leverages the interactivity of mobile games to create immersive experiences, or QR codes, which are extremely useful for connecting the physical and digital worlds. Finally, campaigns on social media and search engines, if optimized for mobile, allow you to reach users at the very moment they are making decisions, when they are ready to act.

1. Mobile-first strategy
   Start with mobile when developing websites, content, campaigns, and UX: don’t just adapt, design with the smartphone in mind first.
2. Personalization and context
   Send messages only when useful: geo-targeted promotions, relevant reminders, content based on time or user behavior.
3. Privacy & trust
   Users need confidence. Ensure informed opt-ins, clearly identify the sender, and always include an opt-out option.
4. Omnichannel integration
   Mobile is not isolated: it must connect with other digital and offline touchpoints, creating a seamless journey across website, app, social, and physical store.

1. Analyze your mobile audience: collect data on operating system, usage times, favorite apps, or frequented stores.
2. Choose targeted channels: SMS for reminders/urgent events, push if you have an app, proximity if you have physical stores.
3. Segment for personalization: divide by behaviors, age group, geolocation.
4. Test small batches: send different content to small segments before scaling up.
5. Measure the right KPIs: open rate, click-through, in-app conversion or store visits, ROI.
6. Tell native visual stories: formats designed for mobile (short vertical videos, swipe cards, streamlined graphics).
7. Fight spam: ensure every communication complies with local regulations, such as double opt-in or right of withdrawal.

Mobile marketing is not optional: it is the heart of modern digital marketing. Leverage immediacy, personalization, and one-to-one contact with the user. By putting privacy, context, and user experience at the center, you can transform the mobile channel into a true business engine, both online and offline.