Cell phone ownership is steadily growing in the United States. According to a 2015 Pew Research Center survey, 68% of U.S. adults own smartphones (and 92% own cell phones), up from 35% in 2011. Despite this substantial growth, agency professionals are divided on whether to create campaigns as mobile-first. Some Forbes Agency Council members say ignore the mobile-first approach while others insist it should be the focus of new campaigns. Below, read nine of their opinions on whether or not campaigns should be designed as mobile-first.
Clockwise from left: Kevin Planovsky, Andrew Miller, Douglas Karr, Dayl McCullough, Stormie Andrews, Stephanie McCratic, Michael Gaizutis, Chris Carter, Kristopher Jones. All photos courtesy of individual members.
1. Tactics Should Be Mobile-First Every Time
In modern America, the only thing you can bet nearly every single person in your audience has is a mobile device. The necessity to think mobile-first becomes the No. 1 priority when your campaign is mostly or entirely digital. Obviously, the broader brand strategy should be cross-channel, but when determining tactics, the mobile user experience will affect every element in your campaigns. - Kevin Planovsky, Vert
2. Identify Your Ideal Customer Before Deciding On A Strategy
It really depends on your target market and geo. If you determine that your ideal customer is tech-savvy and constantly on their mobile device, then you should absolutely focus on a mobile-first marketing strategy. At that point, you can start looking over recent SERP algorithm updates (ex. Google’s upcoming Interstitial update) and determine best next steps. - Andrew Miller, Consultwebs
3. It Depends On Your Audience
While mobile email, search and traffic to your online resources continue to take precedence, that doesn't necessarily equate to conversions. I'm not sure that a mobile-first approach is necessary, but a mobile too approach absolutely is. Given responsive design for email, web, video and click-to-call technologies, there's not a reason to leave mobile out of your digital marketing efforts. - Douglas Karr, DK New Media
4. Think Mobile-Empowered Campaigns
Nearly all consumers rely on a mobile device to access their content and contacts. For many in Asia and Africa, mobile devices are the only screen. Regardless of market or demographic, today's campaign content, interfaces and share-ability must be optimized for mobile. It doesn't mean the idea must be created as mobile-first, but it must be mobile-empowered to reach its full potential. - Daryl McCullough, Citizen Relations
5. Your Analytics Are The Answer
Most likely the answer is yes. However, we still see a few industries where mobile traffic is minimal. You should review your website analytics regularly to see where most of the traffic comes from. Chances are, a significant portion of your traffic is coming from mobile. The data found in Google Analytics and Search Console should make it clear if mobile needs to be your priority for campaigns. - Stormie Andrews, Yokel Local
6. Campaigns Should Be Designed Based On Conversion Rate And ROI
Mobile and web performance can differ significantly from one campaign to another. Some businesses perform better on web versus mobile. Therefore, it is ill advised to simply be mobile-first when designing campaigns. Instead, you should create separate campaigns for mobile and web and evaluate both based on conversion rate and ROI. Invest in the better converting campaign and make more money. - Kristopher Jones, LSEO.com
7. A Mobile-First Approach Can Work, But Is Not Recommended
Fully integrated campaigns can still work with a mobile-first approach, but only if your data and key insights drive you there. If you know your audience spends the majority of their time on their device, and you have developed a campaign that ties digital, print and broadcast elements back to your mobile platform, then go for it. Everyone loves a trailblazer! - Chris Carter, Rep Interactive
8. Forget Mobile-First: Think Design-First
We no longer live in a day and age where mobile is an option: It's not secondary, it's primary. When we craft connective digital experiences, we need to think design-first and not mobile-first. Everything we create has to thrive and scale across mobile and cater to users who are everywhere we are (as brands). When we stop treating mobile as an outlet, we start driving a holistic design experience. - Michael Gaizutis, RNO1
9. Mobile-Friendly Campaigns Are A Must
All campaigns need to be designed with a mobile-first approach. Most consumers have their mobile devices 100% of the time but don’t always have computers. When these future customers are Googling, we want to make sure they see mobile-friendly content. Mobile must come first and should always be a top priority. - Stephanie McCratic, Acorn: The Influence Company
