How do I drive mobile traffic from traditional media channels?

Everyone knows how to search for a brand or product online, so there’s no need for marketers to waste valuable advertising space with web addresses.  Short codes are proving to be the only response mechanism that immediately give brands the opportunity to lengthen their relationship with the consumer.

For the uninitiated, advertising a short code on TV spots, direct mail, radio or any media means consumers can text in to this number to interact with whatever you may be marketing.  In response to texting the short code, the customer receives a text message, or SMS, which can contain a vast array of information including:

• Product or store information
• A link to a branded piece of content
• A coupon driving consumers to a store
• A link to a mobile Internet site containing more detail
• A confirmation message to notify the consumer of a new subscription to mobile offers/alerts

Here are five simple pointers for getting the most out of your short code.  Some might seem obvious, but many marketers forget a least a few of these, and getting one wrong can be the difference between success and failure.

1 - Keep it simple.

Let your brand message shine through. Feature the short code strongly, but don’t let it get in the way of your message.

The role of mass media channels is to engage consumers on an emotional level, so let this happen, then use mobile to turn that interest into action – moving the relationship to a more powerful one-to-one level.

2 - Give your code some profile.

Advertise your short code everywhere. Even if you have built an award-winning mobile campaign, there will be no response if nobody knows it exists. If you are adding a mobile call-to-action on outdoor advertising, ensure this is briefed to the above-the-line agency upfront.

Secure a great, memorable short code, and make this an integral part of radio, TV, outdoor, print and press campaigns. To improve response, mobile mustn’t be an after thought – it should be integral to the entire planning and creative process.

3 – Make the experience rewarding.

When you send something back to the consumer in the response to the short code, it’s your one chance to make their mobile experience enriching. 

Below are some recent examples of what Enpocket clients have given back to customers:

• Pepsi – Entry to win Super Bowl tickets for life and exclusive Pepsi wallpapers
• BP – A mobile coupon giving drivers a free coffee at service stations
• Agent Provocateur – An exclusive video of Kate Moss
• Vodafone – Mobile tickets to gigs from bands like Pussycat Dolls and Razorlight

4 - Monitor the response.

Using different keywords for different media can help you monitor the success of the program, as well as which media are delivering the best results.

Ensure you set up robust reporting by analyzing what consumers do after they receive a response to their short code . Did they go to mobile Internet site, and if so, what did they do there? During your early experiences with mobile marketing, treat every campaign as a trial with a robust analysis and research phase built in at the end. This will ensure you build on knowledge gained from past campaigns to maximize the response of future campaigns.

5 – Pull it all together.

The relationship should not end with the response text, so choose a platform that goes beyond SMS and puts you in good stead for future mobile marketing initiatives.

Having different systems or suppliers for SMS, MMS, mobile Internet banner advertising and other mobile formats doesn’t make sense for brands, but most of all, it doesn’t make sense for the consumer when they receive inconsistent messages from the same brand in different places. 

This is why we’re seeing brands consolidate mobile activities with retained technology and creative partners.

Mobile is ideal for driving mass market objectives. Brands and marketers need to get creative and use the right technologies to maintain relevance and response.