A recent report from Flurry Analytics found that in 2013, mobile app usage increased by 115 percent from 2012. With those kinds of numbers, it’s hard to ignore the power that mobile devices now hold. But how do they play into your marketing plan? With ads in these increasingly popular apps.
The Mobile App—and Advertising—Market
Today, more and more free mobile apps are using ads as a way to make money. Many companies bank on the idea that people are more likely to download a free app than one that costs a few dollars or even 99 cents. Then, to make their money back, these apps will feature mobile ads. Even sites and apps that start off as ad-free may eventually feature ads.
For example, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest all started off as ad-free, and now feature “promoted” or “featured” posts; Facebook also offers a suggested post feature. Tinder, an app run by IAC/InterActiveCorp, the parent company of Match.com, may also feature ads in the near future, and, after hiring Instagram’s Emily White, Snapchat may be next, too.
Mobile Advertising: Not Just for B2C companies
So now in 2014, advertising through mobile apps should be a no-brainer for some B2C companies.
So what is the future of mobile advertising for B2B companies? It’s not certain how high it will go, but it certainly will be growing this year.
And while your company may not be placing ads on Tinder or running sponsored posts on Instagram, you can still find the right medium for your company’s B2B advertising needs.
How Can Your Business Use Mobile Ads on Apps to Its Advantage?
One in three technology decision makers reads B2B content, and 9 to 14 percent of that is read on mobile sites; fifty two percent of business executives also download and run B2B branded apps. This means your clients are using phones to read about content you could easily integrate your ads into. Native ads, also commonly referred to as sponsored posts or content, could also work for your company. While available to both web and mobile devices, native ads have just as much impact on phones because of the high percentage—almost 66 percent—of users going online using either iPhone or Android devices to read content through apps. No matter what your marketing strategy, though, it is getting harder to avoid the power of mobile apps, and, consequently, ads.
What are your thoughts on using apps for mobile advertising? Is it something your company would consider in 2014? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below or on our Facebook or Twitter pages.
