Editor’s Note: Welcome to our weekly Reality Check column. We’ve gathered a group of visionaries and veterans in the mobile industry to give their insights into the marketplace.
Mobile barcodes have gone from niche engagement tool to center-stage digital marketing vehicle, breathing life into traditional and digital marketing media by allowing brands to instantly engage with their target audience. Indeed, mobile barcode scanning has experienced quadruple digit growth amongst consumers worldwide within the past twelve months, according to an MGH survey. The survey found that nearly half of U.S. consumers have seen a mobile barcode and opting in via scan to engage – in particular to access a discount or coupon, learn more about a product or service or gather additional information about a news story.
Mobile barcodes are also becoming a key mobile media element for many brand owners, with major brands and agencies rapidly incorporating mobile barcodes into their marketing efforts with roughly 20% of the Fortune 50 already utilizing this technology. Adding a mobile barcode to a static print advertisement, or on package or at shelf creates a new interactive opportunity for the brand owner or retailer to engage their target audience wherever they are.
But how does a brand thoughtfully use this technology to ensure ongoing consumer participation, increase sales and gain a competitive advantage? As an industry, it is vital that we ensure best practices and standards are adhered to in all campaigns to protect the consumer experience and ensure repeat activity. Without this, we risk alienating the consumer and making it less likely that they will be willing to engage via a mobile barcode in the future.
As a starting point for anyone contemplating a mobile barcode campaign, there are a number of important questions which must be considered and addressed before any campaign design or deployment. For example:
–What is my goal in using a mobile barcode? Am I trying to drive sales, increase customer engagement, encourage consumer loyalty or educate my audience?
–Is the mobile barcode easily discoverable? Is it well positioned within my print ad/billboard/TV spot/packaging/etc.? Will the consumer have to search to find it?
–What is the consumer’s incentive to scan the mobile barcode? Am I offering sufficient value in terms of giveaways, discounts, information or services based on entertainment and utility?
–Have I taken the necessary steps to ensure the code resolves to the correct URL content and is easily scannable across multiple device types and multiple scanner applications?
–Am I ensuring the largest possible reach for my campaign given my selected symbology, encoding, the mobile barcode’s print properties (location, color, size, etc.)?
–Is the content to which the mobile barcode resolves optimized for mobile? If so, how will it appear across multiple device types?
–Have I provided an educational call to action within my campaign to direct consumers to scan?
–Have I properly tested all elements of the campaign to ensure it all works?
–Am I utilizing a barcode management solution that will provide me with a robust set of analytics so I can properly measure my campaign’s success?
–Once I have my consumer’s attention, what’s next? How do I want to continue to interact with the consumer and what is my desired outcome?
Best practices that relate to and help to answer fundamental questions such as these have long been essential to help brands determine how to successfully launch new technologies and ensure success in their initiatives. However, as an industry we have not yet joined together under the auspices of a trade organization – be that mobile or marketing/advertising – to create a set of recognized best practices and guidelines.
Mobile barcodes represent the shortest distance between a brand’s message and the target audience, unlocking a relevant, dynamic, and interactive experience. These best practices are designed to guide brands and advertisers in developing cohesive, engaging, and profitable campaigns that maximize the promise of mobile marketing and spur consumer interest and participation through the utilization of mobile barcodes.
Laura Marriott has been CEO and Board Chairperson (acting) since October 2010. Prior to this she served as NeoMedia’s Chief Marketing Officer and has been an active member of the NeoMedia Board of Directors since January 2009. Before joining NeoMedia, Marriott ran her own mobile consultancy helping companies engage the mobile channel in their day to day business. Marriott has also served as President of the Mobile Marketing Association (“MMA”) from 2005 – 2009 and, earlier, as Director of Marketing for Intrado Inc.
