10 Mobile Marketing Terms You Need to Know

As the mobile marketing industry continues to grow it is important that small business owners are familiar with mobile marketing terms. Therefore I have provided the 10 most common marketing terms in the mobile industry. Knowing what these terms mean will help you as you read posts on this website and any other mobile marketing blog. Knowing these terms will also help you as you are looking for mobile vendors to support you mobile marketing campaigns.

Now lets extend your mobile marketing vocabulary…

1. Mobile Marketing –  Delivering a marketing message specifically targeted to interact with wireless media. One key point here is that “mobile” is not limited to cell phones it is anything that can access wireless media (i.e. ipods, GPS, Tablet PCs).
2. Text Message Marketing – Marketing campaigns that use text messages as the primary tool. Common text marketing campaigns include mobile coupons and mobile alerts.
3. SMS Messaging – Short Message Service (SMS) is the standard messaging system to send short messages, up to 160 characters, to mobile devices. This is what is commonly called Text Messaging.
4. Short Code – A 4-6 digit number that mobile companies purchase, in order to receive text messages and deliver mobile content.  Example: text “Fullest” to “41242”. In this example 41242 the short code. Try is out!
5. SMTP – Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) this is a free service that allows emails to be delivered to a mobile device through a telephone carrier’s email address. [Caution: SMTP messages are not recommended for business purposes. It is not a reliable service for a timely delivery and could have as much as two hour delay if messages are delivered at all]
6. QR Code – Quick Response (QR) code, also called a 2D barcode, is a graphic image that causes the cell phone to take an action embedded in the graphic once the graphic is read with a QR reader on the mobile device. Common actions include sending contact information to a mobile device or sending the smartphone to a website or video.
7. Mobile  Web – The delivery of web content that is formatted for display and interaction on mobile devices.
8. Mobile Coupon – Discounts or financial incentives that are distributed to mobile devices. Many times a text message will contain a mobile coupon, they are also available with mobile apps.
9. Click-to-call – A link placed within a mobile webpage or a text that initiates a phone call when the link is clicked. This is a great way to turn an advertisement into a direct response ad.
10. Proximity marketing – Marketing that is done specifically to customers who are in close proximity to the campaign. It is usually conducted using Bluetooth technology.  This has been used effectively in attracting walk by traffic outside a business and at trade shows.

This is a small list of the most common terms in mobile marketing but if you would like a more thorough list of mobile marketing terms the Mobile Marketing Association created a Mobile Marketing Glossary which can be downloaded.