In 2016, the Global mobile traffic on the Web first exceeded the desktop.
For businesses, continuous growth of mobility is good news, because it allows them to better serve their customers by utilizing the unique advantages of the channel. This includes the ability to deliver personalized content, instant access to immersive apps and real-time communication.
The latter can be an effective way of building loyalty, thanks to mobile communication channels, allowing brands to reach consumers in exceptional and crucial moments.
Below you will find a summary of the most important communication channels available in mobile and how to use them to increase loyalty.
Sms
SMS can in some sense look like an outdated channel, because most consumers have moved to WhatsApp or other Internet communication services. In the case of SMS brands can still be a powerful and extremely effective tool. This is largely due to the familiar and insidisative nature of text messages-we all have a function on our phones and understand the operation of this medium.
Moreover, text messages are effective in terms of their immediability. According to the Data & Marketing Association, 90% of the texts will be read in three minutes and 98% will most likely be read at the end of the day. This means that brands can be sure that most users will at least engage in communication and hopefully respond positively to it.
Mobile phone graphics with a balloon on the screen
For consumers, the most effective SMS campaigns always offer valuable and useful information. They tend to be unidirectional and do not rely on responses or interactions. These may include updates regarding delivery, order confirmations, booking reminders, etc.
The channel can also be used for promotions and other loyalty-based offerings such as coupons and discounts. Again, with instant and time sensitive items, SMS messages can have an immediate impact and thereby reduce the noise of brand ads.
Direct nature can also help build bonds with consumers, with a channel recreating the individual communication we have with our friends and family.
Personalized Push Notifications
Push notifications that are sent by an application installed on your device may also be a good medium for communicating and engaging with users directly. Typically, push notifications are used to reduce the opt-out rate and re-engagement of users who have forgotten or left the app.
However, they can also be effective in increasing regular use and long-term loyalty. This is because they are often personalized or have a high contextualizality-they reach users in moments of high importance.
Let’s take Netflix as one of the examples that can send a push notification informing users of the brand new season of the show that they previously watched and liked. Or a BBC weather app that can send a push notification informing users of real-time weather changes or contextual changes.
The fact that these push notifications offer real value to the user-and are not intended solely for advertising purposes-means that they are likely to be well received and quickly involved.
Moreover, sending messages through this channel can also increase overall engagement in the long term. According to Localytics, users who have push notifications enabled for some applications have 53% more monthly sessions than users who do not.
Customizable messages in the app
In-app messages that are displayed to users during in-app activity can be a great way to reduce the number of resignations and make your users go back again. One reason is that in-app communication can prevent frustration and friction (as well as dropping) by helping users learn to use the app or its features.
In the following, messages in the app can also inform users about new features, special promotions, or keep them informed about transactions. However, unlike push notifications, messages in an application can be customized depending on the content and context in which they are delivered.
For example, full-text or full-screen messages are inherently much more immersive, and therefore better fit into a part of a creative narrative or narrative application (instead of interfering with it). In contrast, a centered message is meant to attract the user’s attention in a much more direct way.
Ultimately, it is important that the message is both welcome and current, and does not upset or annoi the user. If this is achieved, brands will be able to effectively build trust among users and ensure that they will be happy, committed and in a constant reach.
