Smartphones are no longer unique to the United States, Europe, and Asian countries. In fact, on a global scale the smartphone market is nearing a saturation point. That means areas where smartphone usage has been relatively low in recent years are now seeing a huge jump. Some of these emerging markets include Latin America, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and Africa.

Because the smartphone market in the United States and other first world countries has already reached the saturation point, most new smartphone owners in 2014 will be from these emerging markets in developing nations. What is also interesting about these emerging markets is that unlike in many first world countries where PCs and laptops are still the primary way to access the internet, smartphones are the only way many can access the internet in third world countries. For global companies, these emerging markets have some exciting implications.

A new type of mobile marketing

Because smartphones are the primary tool for accessing the internet in emerging markets, marketers are already looking at ways to reach these people via mobile marketing. The problem is, what works for the west won’t necessarily work in other parts of the world. Marketers may be tempted to implement a campaign that has been successful here into emerging markets. However, this isn’t the best strategy.

A successful mobile marketing campaign should drive user engagement. But what drives engagement in one country might do just the opposite in another. Most marketers are in agreement that when it comes to mobile marketing, one size fits all simply isn’t going to cut it. What’s needed are new strategies designed to drive user engagement, strategies that are specific to each region and culture where they will be implemented.

Designing the perfect marketing campaign

Marketers hoping to be successful in emerging markets will need to take great care in understanding the culture and nuances of these markets. The entire success of a campaign will depend on the little things like customer preferences and the best time of day. These are things that will vary widely from place to place. Some of the basic mobile marketing rules may even need to be broken in emerging markets.

Ultimately, it’s going to take some time for marketers to study these new markets in depth and adapt accordingly. Though it will be costly and time consuming, a company’s success in mobile marketing will depend on that initial investment of time and resources into understanding an emerging market’s culture.

Source:  Mobile Marketing Watch 

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