Everywhere on the internet, you will find astounding statistics about the rising number of mobile users to access information and utilize services. It is time to look at mobile marketing strategies that will help digital marketing experts and businesses to create successful brands and reach marketing goals for clients in 2018. Mobile-first indexing, voice search, AI, UI/UX, and others are the key areas to pay attention to this year. Bring together your digital marketing, web design, and SEO service companies to incorporate these essential strategies into your marketing plan.
- Mobile-first indexing is critical
With the growing number of users using search through mobile devices, Google, the leading search engine has decided to go for mobile-first indexing. It’s called “mobile-first” because it's a mobile-only index. What exactly happens is that if a website doesn’t use a mobile-friendly version, the desktop site may still be a part of the index. However, the absence of a mobile-friendly experience might affect the rankings of that site negatively. On the other hand, a website that has a superior mobile experience will most likely get a positive push in the rankings for online users on a desktop. 
Mobile-First Indexing vs. Desktop-first Indexing by Google
Source: https://moz.com/blog/mobile-first-indexing-seo
- Mobile Speed
Slower page loading always annoys users whether they are browsing the web using a mobile or desktop. But today with 3G and 4G networks, users expect faster page loads on their mobile devices. And recent studies have found that slower mobile page speed can increase the bounce rate of the page. A mobile page that takes as much as 10 seconds to load can lead to a bounce rate of 123% which is not a good sign. Mobile marketers should focus on boosting the page load speed by optimizing the page as much as possible. Your web developer will help you get rid of elements on your page that affect its performance. 
Bounce rate increases with page load time
- Perfect UX/UI
With predictions of mobile phone users to reach over 6 billion globally by 2020, it’s an opportunity for digital marketing companies. Experts in web design need to think of fresh UI styles and UX design ideas to keep up with the new gesture-based mobile experiences. There are numerous touchscreen-based design mechanics these days that come along with the latest devices. The fluid screens of new smartphones need better designs that blend seamlessly without affecting the user experience. User Experience and User Interface experts will have to be innovative while delivering the best mobile experience in a simplified manner. Their challenges will increase with new gesture-based functionalities in phones. All the elements on the screen have to work together with fewer efforts to enjoy various functionalities.
- Mobile Payments
With innovation in payments, mobile payments have increased the convenience for consumers. Leading global companies have launched their brand of mobile payment services such as Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, AliPay, and many others. Local brands have also invested in mobile payment products.
The growth of Mobile Payments
Image Source: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/
As per recent research statistics by Transparent Market Research, the global mobile payment technologies market revenue will grow at a CAGR of 20.9% between 2017 and 2024. Digital marketing companies explore tap opportunities in the mobile payments domain to reach out to the growing users of these futuristic payment methods.
- Voice Search Changes SEO
As voice assistants are becoming more intelligent, voice search is utilized often. ComScore has estimated that by 2020, 50% of all searches would be through voice and 30% of searches will happen without using a screen. Voice search will dominate mobile in the future and therefore, you should ensure that your app is user-friendly when it comes to search. Voice search is more action-based than text-based. Every digital marketing team must enhance their website for voice search requests on mobile as well as on other devices. Voice search will certainly affect the customer experience along with the future of mobile marketing.
- Mobile Video
Live streaming and viral videos have already proven that visuals are successful in luring users and holding their interest. As per industry forecasts, by 2018 people will spend nearly 30-40 minutes daily watching videos on their mobile devices. Getting mobile video content is the ideal strategy to connect with your target market.
78.4% mobile video viewer penetration worldwide in 2018
Source: https://www.emarketer.com/Article/Mobile-Will-Account-72-of-US-Digital-Ad-Spend-by-2019/1012258
As per eMarketer’s Global Digital Video Forecast report, mobile phones are the primary device for accessing the internet in many regions, and in 2018, 78.4% of digitally streamed content will be viewed by consumers using mobile phones.
- Future is here with Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence will gain momentum in 2018. AI is the powerful ability of machines to copy human intelligence. Understanding online users’ needs and behavior will become easier with analytics that will combine human intelligence with artificial intelligence. In mobile, AI technology is emerging via virtual assistants like Siri, Cortana, and many others. They're influencing the ways a customer searches for information online. -- Technology will continue to transform the way digital users consume content. We have to keep up with the latest trends and devise new strategies to reach our target audience wherever their attention shifts. Competition, customer awareness, and customer expectations have made it essential for marketers to carefully craft customer journeys and enhance various customer touchpoints to entice customers.
Written by: Jitendra Raulo
Jitendra Raulo is the Founding Director at Aarav Infotech India Pvt. Ltd., a leading Web Design and Digital Marketing Company with 11+ years of experience and having headquarter in Mumbai, India, and Support Centre at Bhubaneswar, India, he is actively working with Start-ups, SMEs and Corporations utilizing technology to provide business transformation solution.
