Most of you who are reading this article right now, are most likely on your mobile. Some might have push notifications from brands in your notification bar, some might have just scrolled through an ad on Instagram. With so many of us glued to our mobile screens, whether for notifications or scrolling through social media ads, it's a golden opportunity for brands to connect. This global scenario has set the stage for brands to engage with consumers like never before. With AI taking centre stage, experts predict not just an evolution, but a full-scale revolution in the mobile marketing landscape.
Bridging the Gap with Multimodal Experiences
Preetham Venkky, Chief Digital Officer at DDB Mudra Group, expects technology to scale fast. “Closer to the second half of 2024, I’m hopeful for most mobile experiences (read apps) to migrate towards a multimodal but unified interface like Bard, Chat GPT etc,” he feels. This shift aims to streamline user interactions across platforms, promising a more intuitive and unified user interface. However, Venkky also points out that this transition might initially yield a decline in total impressions.
The increasing adoption of multimodal interfaces is substantiated by research indicating the growing preference for voice and text-based interactions. Studies by prominent market research firms highlight the rising consumer inclination towards voice searches and virtual assistants, signalling a pivotal transition in user behaviour.
Venkky added, “I expect the move towards voice and text as the new user interface. I’m also strongly hopeful of a new OS built atop Gen AI to be launched in 2024.”
Social Commerce: A Confluence of social media and e-commerce
Shubhranshu Singh, Chief Marketing Officer at Tata Motors Limited, emphasised on the growing significance of social commerce in the mobile marketing landscape. “Social commerce is set to remain ahead and become the game-changer,” Singh said, as he explained that given the shift in consumer behaviour and with 74.70% of Indian internet users immersed in social platforms, brands are witnessing a mode transformation.
Industry reports corroborate this trend, showcasing the rising trend of "discovery commerce" where consumers seek and discover products directly through social platforms. The data underscores the increasing influence of social media in shaping consumer preferences and purchase behaviours, making it an indispensable avenue for brands in 2024.
Singh believes that India is a vibrant market for social commerce. He says, “India, a leader and a pace-setter in mobile payments, with users spending 4.9 hours daily on average on their smartphones. Businesses can harness the power of social commerce, transcending borders, and embracing diverse trends to captivate consumers and thrive in the mobile-centric landscape of 2024.”
UGC, Virtual Engagement and Emerging Avenues
Abhinay Bhasin, Head of Product Marketing at ProfitWheel, sheds light on India's unique consumer landscape characterised by a vast user base and a fervour for user-generated content (UGC). Bhasin highlighted the resurgence of virtual engagement following the pandemic and the pivotal role UGC plays in fostering brand engagement.
“While UGC disrupted online brand engagement a while ago, a hybrid world built on virtual proximity as a follow on from Covid behaviour has made a comeback and will likely be a trend that will amplify in mobile marketing. We saw what Kellogg's #PassTheBowl campaign did,” he said.
In 2020, Kellogg’s had launched an all-digital user-generated content campaign titled #PassTheBowl to exhort consumers to start their day with a nutritious bowl of breakfast even during the on-going lockdown.
Apart from this, Bhasin also feels that influencer marketing and gaming would be other areas of key growth and consumer engagement.
AI-Driven Personalization
Aabhinna Suresh Khare, Chief Digital and Marketing Officer at Bajaj Capital, accentuates the evolution towards an AI-driven landscape in 2024. Khare emphasised on the shift from traditional audience outreach to intelligent engagement strategies.
“The strategies are evolving to leverage AI-driven insights, personalizing experiences at scale and forging deeper connections. In this era, mobile marketing is the heartbeat of digital innovation, driving not just consumer interactions, but also shaping their expectations and experiences in a profoundly data-driven world,” he said.
