Understanding the Definition of Mobile Marketing

In order to truly understand the concept, you have to be know the definition of mobile marketing. Mobile marketing, when loosely defined refers to the marketing strategy that utilizes mobile technology such as mobile phones. The definition of mobile marketing could also refer to the type of marketing that is conducted in a moving manner for instance, technology road shows or moving billboards. However, these mobile marketing definitions are very vague and doesn´t quite capture the basic gist of the concept.

However, during November 2009 Mobile Marketing Forum, the Mobile Marketing Association announced an updated mobile marketing definition, to include more comprehensive details to help make people understand the term better. The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) is the number one international non-profit trade association that was created to lead initiate the growth of mobile marketing and advertising as well as their related technologies. It has a 700-strong member companies from over 40 countries around the world. The association´s headquarters is located on the United States but it also has respective regional chapters on North America, Europe, Latin America, Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific.

According to the Mobile Marketing Association, the definition of mobile marketing refers to the set of practices that allows organizations to communicate and connect with their audience in an interactive a well as pertinent way by making use of any mobile device or network. This improved definition of mobile marketing by the Mobile Marketing Association entails two further explanations for its meaning.

The first is that these “sets of practices” can be enumerated as follows: institutions, activities, industry players, processes, advertising and media, standards, promotions, direct response, CRM, relationship management, loyalty, customer services, social marketing, and all the other aspects of marketing. The second is that to “connect with their audience” implies to initiate relationships, acquire, generate activity, stimulate social interaction with organization and community members, and being at hand during the moment consumers express their needs. In addition, this connecting or engaging with the consumer can be started by the consumer in the form of response or click, or by the marketer.

The rationale of this update of mobile marketing definition, according to Mike Wehrs, President and CEO of MMA, is to provide a more accurate description of this ever-growing field of mobile marketing.