Email marketing has been a useful tool for a long time, and even though mobile is a new-age channel for marketing, the same strategies and optimization used for email campaigns can – and should – be implemented in mobile campaigns as well.

There was an interesting article on Marketing Vox recently that talked about SMB’s increased interest in email marketing, citing several surveys showing that nearly three-fourths of all SMBs plan to implement email marketing due to its high ROI.  A recent report from the DMA states the average ROI for email campaigns is $43.62 for every dollar spent, and that it remains a top marketing medium for it’s low cost and high ROI.

The article also listed several tips for email marketers, including priorities such as targeting and relevance, which seem to mirror the tips and strategies necessary for successful mobile marketing as well.  Advertising to email and mobile devices is very similar in nature, especially if you’re comparing email and SMS marketing.  The years of trial and error and experience in the email marketing industry provide valuable lessons to any mobile marketer.

Here’s some strategies that apply to email marketing and how it’s beneficial for mobile as well;

1. Keep it relevant.  Relevance is necessary in all forms of marketing, but nowhere is it more important than with email and mobile marketing.  Some 40% of all consumers who receive email marketing say the messages are completely irrelevant.  With mobile marketing, relevance can be increased by using mobile features such as location, but it’s also vital in growing and maintaining your opt-in database.
2. Incorporate social media.  Social media is increasingly becoming a lifeline for brands to communicate with potential customers.  By incorporating it into both email and mobile campaigns, you increase the chance for viral exposure and increased impressions.
3. Create a landing page for each campaign.  Email campaigns in particular can benefit from specific landing pages for each campaign in terms of tracking and optimization.  It makes it easier to see who’s responding to what particular campaign and which messages and/or keywords are working the best.  Same goes for mobile as well.  For SMS campaigns, while tracking is somewhat easier than email, it’s still important to incorporate fully optimized WAP landing pages for each campaign.

There’s several other tips, tricks and best practices that have been applied to email campaigns for years, that are now becoming increasingly relevant for today’s mobile marketing campaigns.  Email marketers have had several years to optimize their process and find out what works the best, and those venturing into mobile advertising need to take note.