In 2019, mobile subscriptions outnumbered the global population. In 2020, users spent more time on mobile than on any other medium. And by 2021, mobile content consumption is expected to reach nearly 4 hours a day in the U.S.

We all know the basics of optimizing content for mobile screens: single column designs, bigger buttons, and clearer calls to action. But mobile marketing stretches far beyond screen size — it involves a complete understanding of how mobile consumers interact and engage with content. As technology evolves, highly intelligent marketing automation will provide increased visibility into data that will help marketers implement campaigns at the speed of change.

In this article, we discuss five mobile trends that are shaping the marketing world in 2021.

Integration of social commerce and m-commerce

Thanks to evolutions like social media commerce integration and sophisticated shopping apps, more people are expected to turn to their mobile platforms to make purchases. Mobile-driven sales are projected to reach $284 billion by the end of 2020 — which accounts for about 25% of the total U.S. e-commerce market.

While mobile commerce is nothing new, most transactions are currently taking place outside social apps — typically on a company's website or separate messaging system. This is a limiting factor when it comes to giving users an end-to-end, holistic experience.

Mobile applications will manifest themselves more and more as order, payment, and purchasing platforms. Retailers and restaurants in particular are streamlining the mobile purchase process. For instance, Macy’s is currently updating its app to improve consumers' mobile shopping experience.

Surge of mobile video

Year after year, social video continues to explode. With the increase of new video formats, live story features, and AR filters on Instagram and TikTok, marketers are expected to increase their video marketing budgets by 25% this year.

We’re still in the beginning stages of seeing brands experiment with TikTok, the short-form mobile video platform with 500 million monthly active users. TikTok’s video content is not only easy and low-budget, but it also has a more organic feel than a staged TV commercial. Moreover, TikTok content has the potential to go viral and maximize word of mouth for brands.

Live videos and stories on Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook will continue to prevail as well. On top of that, IGTV, Instagram’s hub for long-form, vertical-only video content, launched just last June and is still in its infancy.

Location-based technology dominates

It’s no secret that smartphones and tablets are tracking your location. And with your permission, mobile applications are also keeping tabs on your location. It’s why you receive a notification requesting permission to see your location each time you download a new app.

Location data can even be used to outsmart competitors. In a tongue-in-cheek campaign that catapulted the Burger King app from No. 686 to No. 1 in the App Store, Burger King offered 1-cent Whoppers to consumers who drove up to a McDonald’s location. With hyperlocal targeting and geofencing, the app detected when users were within 600 feet of one of 14,000 McDonald’s restaurants around the country and unlocked the offer. Genius? We think so.

Chatbots cater to consumers

Because they provide fast answers to pressing consumer problems, chatbots have become massively popular over the past few years — so much so, 67% of companies believe they will outpace mobile apps within the next five years.

While some brands use SMS marketing to connect with consumers, chatbots tend to offer a more optimized and user-friendly experience thanks to rich media. Chatbot messages come directly from the brand (rather than a random phone number) with visual elements to identify brand trustworthiness — including verification ticks and logos. More recently, brands have been leveraging Facebook Messenger Ads to reach consumers where they’re at most: social media.

5G takes center stage

5G will enable speedier internet and load times — two promising assets for the growth of mobile marketing. In fact, this new internet connectivity speed promises be 400 times quicker than 4G. The explosion of 5G will lead brands to create richer media experiences — from more ephemeral content to lengthier video content.

On top of that, 5G is expected to better power augmented reality (AR) experiences — an advanced feature that many modern marketers are adding to their toolboxes. 5G technology will also result in higher quality creative assets in mobile experiences and applications.

Final takeaway

Mobile devices have become the go-to interfaces for digital marketing — eclipsing desktops, TVs, and every other device available. People are depending on their mobile devices as if they’re life-saving mechanisms. They use them to manage their schedules, interact with brands, conduct commerce, and transfer money— the list goes on and on. In order to keep up, brands need to take a mobile-first approach to marketing.

Mobile Marketing: Trends for 2021