Mobile marketing is any advertising or marketing campaign that promotes products or services through mobile devices. Particularly, mobile advertising strategies utilize mobile device features such as push notifications and location awareness to deliver more timely and relevant ads. By connecting with your customers through mobile devices, you can create a cohesive customer experience. According to Gartner, smartphone sales continue to increase.
As most people always carry their phones with them, you can connect with customers in real-time. In fact, shoppers do research before buying. In retail space itself, mobile commerce sales, commercial transactions made via mobile phones, are expected to reach 10.4% by 2025, which is more than double of pre-pandemic numbers. This shows the huge potential of mobile marketing in driving engagement, sales, and customer loyalty. Hence, in this blog, we will explore the following in detail, along with mobile marketing trends 2025:
Table of Contents:
“Mobile marketing is a digital marketing strategy that involves reaching the target audience with a marketing message through multiple channels, such as smartphones, tablets, mobile devices, social media, and apps.”
The marketing message may have a physical element like a QR code, but the message is still viewed via the mobile device. It is important to note that mobile marketing is different from telemarketing, while both involve the use of mobile devices, mobile marketing focuses more on time-based, location-based, and personalized messages.
According to a report from StatCounter as of April 2025, 59.7% of global website traffic is driven by mobile devices. Mobile marketing is no longer something businesses can ignore as a means for outreach. As per Statista, the size of the global mobile marketing market in billion U.S. dollars is projected to reach 60 billion dollars by 2030.
Digital marketing, more broadly, is the process of promoting products, services, and brands to potential customers using the internet and other digital platforms, such as mobile phones and social media.
How Does Mobile Marketing Work?
Mobile marketing contains ads that appear on portable devices like smartphones, tablets, or other mobile devices. Mobile marketing ad formats, personalization, and styles can vary extensively, as many social media platforms, websites, and mobile apps have their own customized mobile ad formats.
Why Do You Need a Mobile Marketing Strategy?
You need a mobile marketing strategy for the same reason you need a computer and wi-fi access – that is the age in which we live! Stroll around any major city, and you won’t find just a few people entranced by their smartphone screens.
Recent MarTech reports indicated that almost half (40%) of users’ time on the internet is spent on mobile devices, which indicates ignoring the rise of mobile is simply not an option.
Some other interesting mobile marketing statistics:
- Mobile Apps Account for Majority of Time: Users spend nearly 80% of their time on mobile devices in apps, with gaming apps as the overwhelming leader for usage.
- Tablet vs Smartphone Browsing: Users browse 70% more web pages on tablets than on smartphones, and this should be a consideration when optimizing for mobile users.
- Retail Conversion by Device: Retail conversion rates are 2.2% on a tablet, 0.7% on a smartphone, and 3.3% on a desktop, indicating greater purchase intent on desktop devices.
- Mobile Searching More Popular: Since 2012, mobile searches have increased 200% year over year, so users are looking for more information on mobile devices.
- Mobile will surpass Desktop: In 2014, mobile was predicted to surpass desktop internet usage.
Mobile is here to stay, and if forecasts are correct, it will soon be eclipsing desktop usage. If you don’t have a mobile marketing strategy yet, it’s time to get going!
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Types of Mobile Marketing
Mobile marketing types tend to be classified according to the delivery method and advertising trigger. An example of an advertising trigger is location-based advertising, whereby receipt of an advertisement (or coupon) is triggered by the mobile device entering a specific location. SMS marketing refers to messages that are sent via SMS. There are ten general types of mobile marketing, though it can be argued that some of the types overlap, and at times, even experts disagree on how to categorize some of the types. Here are some types of mobile marketing:
In-App Marketing
In-app marketing refers to advertising through mobile applications. In-app marketing is either targeted towards your own brand or could be for other brands. In terms of your brand, in app-marketing is the use of banners, overlays and inbox messaging to advertise your products to your app users. You can advertise to customers that are active users of your brand’s app and can lead them in their user experience in your app. For other brands, advertisements can be placed on popular apps or your brand’s app. The ads can be banner ads, full page ads or video ads. In-app marketing also gives you the capability to broaden your customer reach with ads on popular apps.
Types of in-app advertising include:
- Display advertising is like a banner ad at the top or bottom of a mobile screen
- Native advertising resembles whatever app environment it is in
- Video ads
- Interstitial ads appear in between actions in the app- for example, sometimes these ads pop up between levels in a game.
In-game mobile marketing:
Mobile marketing in games refers to mobile advertisements that appear in mobile games, such as in the example below. In-game advertisements can show up as banner pop-ups, full-page image advertisements, or even video advertisements that pop in between screens when loading.
Below is an example of an in-game mobile marketing advertisement.
Mobile Push Marketing
Mobile push marketing delivers marketing messages on mobile devices through push technology. It allows you to relay pertinent information to mobile users, even if they are not on your website or app. Mobile push notifications allow you to connect with existing and potential customers easily and efficiently.
SMS Marketing
SMS promotions are promotional campaigns sent via text message. Messages can be sent as promotions, alerts, offers, and much more directly to the phones of both prospective and existing customers. SMS promotions are improved by AI-driven personalization. In addition to delivering promotional messages, the AI can deliver predictive and behavioral content. SMS promotions are a permission-based mobile marketing tactic, and brands can deliver promotions, deals, coupons, and alerts directly to prospective customers through the use of text messages of 160 characters or less.
One of the ways SMS promotions are a strong mobile marketing strategy is because they have high deliverability, open rates, and engagement metrics associated with them. In fact, the statistics show::
- The open rate for SMS messages is between 90-99%
- 90% of SMS messages are opened in under 3 minutes
- Click-through rates can be more than double that of email
AI Chatbots
Chatbots interact with users in conversation through messaging applications. Chatbots serve the mobile product experience by answering questions, providing support, and assisting in purchases, resulting in a better overall interaction.
Augmented Reality
Augmented reality (AR) technology enhances the mobile experience by projecting digital data onto the real world using the device’s camera. Marketers employ augmented reality technology to provide rich experiences to the consumer to engage users either in the form of a trial of the product or in an engaging environment that draws the user into a new engagement.
Social media sites typically have billions of users, making social media a great source for advertising and promotion. Social media marketing offers a higher level of personal engagement with consumers via running ads on Facebook, promoting tweets on Twitter, or shoppable pins on Pinterest. You can also increase your brand awareness and improve your conversion rates with customer referrals and recommendations.
While some businesses prefer organic social media posts, more and more businesses are using social media advertising to affirm they are reaching the target audience. Some social media advertising mediums include:
- Facebook ads, or boosted (promoted) posts
- Promoted tweets on Twitter
- Shoppable or promoted pins on Pinterest
- LinkedIn ads or promoted posts
Location-based marketing (GPS)
Location-based marketing allows for targeting on mobile devices based on customers’ location. It is also referred to as geotargeting or geolocation marketing. You can create tailored marketing campaigns around a customer’s location to make the marketing a bit more relevant.
Research found that the global location-based advertising market is valued at more than $62 billion USD in 2019 and is projected to grow to over $300 billion USD at a CAGR of over 17% between 2022 to 2027. As the advertising is much more relevant to where a mobile user is positioned and their activities, location-based marketing leads to greater engagement and a better response.
QR Code Marketing
Using QR code marketing allows you to create a link to your website, download your mobile application, review your business, or sign up for your newsletter. Customers simply scan the QR code with the camera on their smartphones, and the experience is simple to use. QR code marketing helps engage more customers and can be created for almost any marketing purpose.
Proximity Marketing
As we reach 2025, marketing using proximity is going to see innovations created with 5G connectivity, allowing for even faster ad delivery through Bluetooth or other near-field communication technologies.
For example, beacon marketing relies on the real-time use of Bluetooth technology in or around your retail locations. It sends a short-range signal to targeted mobile devices when they are in your vicinity.
Now, this is another proven way of targeting foot traffic. As one of the car manufacturers, i.e., Toyota, used proximity marketing to attract more customers likely to buy at local car dealerships.
Mobile Marketing vs. Traditional Marketing
Mobile marketing engages customers through their mobile devices, traditional marketing is any marketing that is not online. Traditional marketing can include newspaper, television, radio, and billboard ads. Typically, traditional marketing is one-way communication, whereas with mobile marketing, customers can interact with your business through mobile advertisements. Here are some examples of the main differences between mobile and traditional marketing:
Mobile Marketing Strategy
The mobile marketing strategy is a comprehensive plan intended to maximize the user experience, engagement, and conversions while a user is utilizing their mobile devices.
A mobile marketing strategy has features that include delivering content, advertising, and interaction specifically to mobile device users.
A successful mobile marketing strategy uses tools like mobile apps, responsive websites, SMS messages, push notifications, and social media. The focus is on sending the right message at the right time, making it personal and easy for users to interact with. This helps businesses connect with customers in real time, build loyalty, and stay ahead of competitors.
Having a mobile marketing strategy is essential because it keeps your business relevant, strengthens customer relationships, and makes your brand more accessible and engaging on mobile devices.
Emerging Mobile Marketing Strategies for 2025
Looking ahead, there are several new strategies to consider in 2025 and beyond:
- AI-enhanced Personalization: Employ artificial intelligence to create mobile ads in the moment, based on user behavior and preferences.
- 5G-Based AR and VR Advertising: Take advantage of the fast speed of 5G internet to enable interactive, immersive advertising experiences via augmented and virtual reality.
- Voice Search Optimization: As more users begin to rely on voice assistants, make sure your mobile content is optimized for voice search.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Mobile Marketing
Mobile marketing helps businesses connect with targeted audiences anytime, anywhere, through personalized and engaging campaigns.
Advantages of Mobile Marketing:
- Instant and accessible communication
- Global reach
- Multiple channels (apps, SMS, social media, websites)
- Personal and relevant messaging
- High viral potential
Disadvantages of Mobile Marketing:
- Hard to correct mistakes once live
- Poor ads can harm brand image
- Device and screen size differences cause navigation issues
- Privacy concerns require opt-in options
- Frequent updates and adaptations are needed
Mobile Marketing Best Practices
In mobile marketing, it’s best to follow some key practices: keep videos & messages short, make them more targeted & personalized, follow the right regulations, and maintain the right balance, which is not too less, not too many contacts.
- Use more than just one channel
- Follow all rules and regulations
- Keep it short
- Be mindful of the requirements of the platform you are using
- Create personalized messages always
- Provide opportunities to make it interactive when you can
- Keep customer preferences as the core of every interaction
What’s Next for Mobile Marketing?
Mobile marketing is evolving rapidly, with trends focusing on personalization, interactivity, and immersive experiences. Here are the key trends shaping the future:
1. Mobile Video
Video consumption on mobile devices is skyrocketing, especially short-form, live, and interactive videos. Optimizing video content for mobile screens ensures higher engagement and retention.
2. Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)
AR overlays digital content onto the real world, while VR creates fully immersive experiences. These technologies enable interactive, personalized campaigns like virtual try-ons, makeup demos, or virtual tours. As AR/VR tools become more accessible, they’ll play a bigger role in mobile marketing strategies.
3. Voice Search & Voice-Activated Assistants
With assistants like Siri, Google Assistant, and Alexa becoming mainstream, optimizing content for voice search is essential. Voice-activated features in mobile apps can improve user experience and engagement.
4. Chatbots & Conversational Marketing
AI-powered chatbots provide real-time customer support, personalized recommendations, and facilitate transactions. As technology advances, chatbots will increasingly drive customer interaction and conversion in mobile campaigns.
Mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay offer opportunities for personalized promotions, loyalty rewards, and targeted discounts. With the growing adoption of contactless payments, mobile marketing via wallet integrations is becoming increasingly impactful.
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Conclusion
Mobile marketing is essential for reaching customers anytime, anywhere with personalized, real-time campaigns. With mobile apps, push notifications, social media, AR/VR, chatbots, and mobile wallets, businesses can engage users, boost conversions, and build loyalty.
As mobile usage and mobile commerce continue to grow, a strong mobile marketing strategy is key to staying competitive. Leveraging trends like AI personalization, voice search, and 5G experiences ensures your brand stays relevant and connected in a mobile-first world.
Invest in mobile marketing today to drive engagement, sales, and long-term growth!
FAQs on Mobile Marketing
1. Is mobile marketing the same as digital marketing?
No. Mobile marketing is a part of digital marketing. Digital marketing also covers SEO, email, streaming ads, and digital billboards (DOOH).
2. What’s the difference between mobile marketing and traditional marketing?
Traditional marketing uses TV, print, and static billboards to reach broad audiences. Mobile marketing targets users on smartphones and tablets with more personalized content.
3. Is mobile marketing expensive?
Not always. Costs range from free (except time investment) to premium tools. For example, SMS software can start at 2.5 cents per text or $219/month.
4. How do I make mobile marketing effective?
Know your audience, use responsive design, personalize messages with data, track KPIs like CTR and conversions, and focus on a smooth user experience.
5. How can I measure mobile marketing success?
Track KPIs such as engagement (CTR, app downloads), conversions (sign-ups, sales), retention (repeat usage, CLV), ROI, and customer feedback using analytics tools.