Last year, there was an explosive growth in mobile use. And according to recent research, the time mobile users in the U.S. spent consuming news online in 2020 increased by 215% since 2019. So, what did this mobile usage increase bring to brands and customers? How are the new trends looking? What will change moving forward?
Here are five mobile trends that marketers will see in 2021, based on last year’s experiences.
- Programmatic advertising
Programmatic advertising has greatly benefited from the growth of mobile users and customers’ social habits changing, due to many lockdowns. As customers started to go online more often than before for shopping, entertainment, and socialize, it’s no surprise that Statista has predicted that programmatic buying will increase to $127 billion by the end of 2021.
- QR codes
“QR codes are on the rise because they provide consumers contactless delivery, pickup, and payment options—necessary for our current public health protocols,” says Palmer Houchins, VP of Marketing, CallRail in a recent interview.
So how can brands use this trend to their advantage? Marketers can use QR codes when tracking engagement, through packaging or direct mail. These will help businesses better understand practices that work or need improvement. Moreover, QR codes offer additional info about products or services for consumers. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.
- Over-the-top (OTT) media
Over-the-top (OTT) streaming services like Netflix and others have added 20 million households in the past four years to their base of customers. This kind of media offers new opportunities for mobile marketers in 2021, and these opportunities are yet to be discovered.
Today, mobile is a growing part of the OTT services, and recent research shows that younger consumers (especially Gen Z and Millennials) are most likely to pay for streaming services. They are, after all, the leaders in mobile streaming. And this year, users are expected to install up to 85% more video streaming apps.
So, mobile marketers need to improve their advertising fast, as OTT media is taking over a majority of mobile users.
- Better UX and UI
Speaking of mobile users’ ages, customers from different generations have significantly different patterns when it comes to mobile apps. And it is vital for mobile marketers to tailor their experiences to a wider audience. So, here’s where the user experience and the user interface design teams play their role: in streamlining and enhancing shopping experiences for mobile users that will be expecting more intuitive apps in the near future. An intuitive mobile usage is an answer to increased client satisfaction across different generations.
- Eco-conscious users
Today, brands need to market themselves not only to tech-savvy customers but also to informed, eco-conscious users who want to see meaningful changes in the world. With the growing regard for equity and social responsibility, businesses feel the pressure to show their contribution in fighting the latest and most important issues in the world.
Diversity and inclusion bring a company success, but marketers shouldn’t forget about other issues, such as the gender pay gap, or environmental problems that need attention nowadays. Young customers have shown that they become loyal to brands that show an interest in fighting against injustices and being environmentally friendly.
Conclusion
2021 will be a year of creating better digital experiences, addressing and tailoring mobile apps to different users, paying attention to the most popular services, and being more eco-conscious.
