The impact of the mobile phone in our lives is increasing. It is a tool that is part of our daily lives and accompanies us in (almost) every activity we do. Shopping was not going to be left behind and, for this reason, brands have had to adapt to the new trends and include m-commerce in their strategies.
The smartphone or tablet accompanies the user throughout the purchasing process. Even when a user has no need to buy, the brand has an opportunity to impact on them and create this need. That is why the creation of tools that respond to each step of the user's purchase funnel is essential to guarantee any conversion process.
The latest data from GSMA Intelligence shows that two-thirds of the world's total population uses a mobile phone. This translates to 5.2 billion mobile users worldwide, or more than 85% of everyone on the planet over the age of 13.
These unprecedented figures have revolutionised the way e-commerce has been understood in recent years and have given rise to the birth of a new concept called m-commerce.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What is m-commerce?
The presence of mobile e-commerce in today's market is so significant that a new term has even been created to refer to it. We talk about m-commerce when we refer to the type of purchase made in an e-commerce through a mobile device (smartphone or tablet), either through a browser or an application.
Advantages and disadvantages of m-commerce
Advantages of m-commerce
#1 Anywhere: the portability of mobile devices makes it possible for users to make a purchase wherever and whenever they want.
#2 Audience segmentation: by age, geography, gender...
#3 Broader target audience: the digitalisation of a brand will generate a growth in its audience.
#4 Responsive version: platforms are adapted to all types of devices to ensure the best user experience.
#5 Social networks: Introducing social networks in a brand's m-commerce strategy will favour conversions.
Disadvantages of m-commerce
#1 Investment: creation and maintenance of m-commerce platforms.
#2 Adaptation: platforms must be adapted to different operating systems.
#3 Responsive version: many times you have to do without elements of the website.
#4 User experience: loading or display failures can affect the user experience.
How to optimise your m-commerce campaigns?
Smartphone users are looking for speed and convenience, your brand should include web spaces designed to respond to these two basic needs. Both your website and your app should:
#1 Make sure your content is well adapted for all devices and platforms.
#2 Help the user to understand your product: create content that helps the customer to have a complete vision and idea of what they are interested in purchasing. For example, in a new digital environment where the user is exposed daily to thousands of advertising impacts, dynamic and attractive ads that seek to attract their attention can be a perfect solution to make your brand stand out. Don't miss the best practices for dynamic creatives of this type of ads!
#3 Make the payment process easier: this will increase conversion rates considerably.
#4 Minimise processes: make sure that all the processes the user encounters do not require too much effort.
#5 Include eye-catching CTAs that facilitate conversion.
#6 Use social networks: social networks increasingly offer you tools that allow users to make the purchase process from the same application.
M-commerce in 2022
The growth of m-commerce is growing exponentially year on year. According to a study published by Forbes magazine, e-commerce growth will reach $666 billion in the US market this year and $845 billion by 2022 and mobile commerce will drive almost 50% of those e-commerce sales by 2022.
Gone is the idea of using mobile devices as a simple browser and then making a purchase on the computer. Users are increasingly making their purchases, and the whole process involved, from their smartphone or tablet.
Companies have had to incorporate greater use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create resources capable of satisfying the needs of their users with the aim of converting them into consumers of their products or services. These resources accompany the user throughout the purchasing process, which is why they must be adapted to each part of the process to guarantee maximum efficiency for each one.
The arrival of 5G will mark a before and after in the e-commerce sector. An improvement in connection speed will favour both the consumption of content and the user's purchasing process. It is important for companies to investigate the opportunities that 5G will offer and embrace them in their business models. The shift to 5G will drive the development of AI and even help brands to go fully digital.
Conclusion
The digitalisation of a brand is born out of the user's feedback to the brand. Users expect easy platforms that meet their needs in the shortest possible time, while brands expect usage and engagement from these users. With the increasing presence of smartphones in society, in this coming year 2022, m-commerce will gain momentum and will share conversion rates even with traditional shopping options.
