E-commerce| Unit-6 | Social, Mobile, and Local Marketing

   E-commerce

Unit 6 - Social, Mobile, and Local Marketing

TU Syllabus:

Introduction to Social, Mobile, and Local Marketing; Social Marketing; Mobile Marketing; Local and Location-Based Marketing

Introduction to Social, Mobile, and Local Marketing

Social, mobile, and local marketing are digital strategies that help businesses reach customers in smart, targeted ways using social media, mobile devices, and local areas, making communication fast, personal, and relevant. They fit together like a team—social marketing spreads the word online, mobile marketing catches people on their phones, and local marketing pulls in nearby buyers—giving companies big and small a chance to grow by meeting customers where they already are in today’s tech-driven world. These methods match how people live now—scrolling social feeds, carrying phones everywhere, and shopping close to home—making them key for e-commerce and digital success, especially in places like Nepal where internet use is rising. Example: A Nepali jewelry store posts a new ring design on Instagram, sends a mobile app discount to users, and targets Kathmandu shoppers with a “visit us” ad, hitting different customers all at once.

Social Marketing

Social marketing is the use of social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok to promote products or services by sharing engaging content such as posts, videos, or ads. It aims to connect with customers, build brand awareness, and drive sales through interaction and online communities.

Key Aspects of Social Marketing 

• Visual: Uses pictures and videos to catch people’s eyes easily.
• Interactive: Lets customers comment, ask questions, or join conversations. 
• Viral: Good posts can spread fast with likes, shares, or retweets. 
• Flexible: Targets specific groups and changes content quickly as needed. 
• Example: A Kathmandu coffee shop posts a latte art video on Instagram, gets 100 comments asking about flavors, and replies to chat with followers.

Benefits of Social Marketing

• Reaches lots of people quickly and cheaply using free posts or low-cost ads.
• Builds trust by letting businesses talk directly to customers and get feedback.
• Grows brand awareness when people like or share content, spreading it fast.
• Boosts sales and loyalty without needing expensive traditional ads like TV.
• Example: A Nepali candle maker posts a festive design on Facebook for free, gets 200 shares, and sells 50 extra candles during Tihar.

Social Marketing Platforms

• Facebook: Great for big audiences, ads, and detailed posts; Nepal has 10 million+ users.
• Instagram: Perfect for photos, stories, and young users who love visuals.
• TikTok: Hot for short, trendy videos that can go viral with youth.
• Twitter: Good for quick updates, news, or starting chats with followers.
• Example: A Nepali travel agency posts a 15-second Annapurna trek video on TikTok, targeting youth, and gets 1,000 views and bookings.

Strategies for effective Social Marketing

• Post regularly: Share fresh content like photos or updates to keep followers interested.
• Run paid ads: Target specific people (e.g., teens) with ads for more reach.
• Use influencers: Partner with popular users to promote products and gain trust.
• Add hashtags: Join trends (e.g., #NepalFashion) to get noticed by more people.
• Engage users: Reply to comments or run contests to turn followers into buyers.
• Example: A Nepali clothing brand runs a “Win a free kurta” contest on Instagram with #DashainFashion, getting 300 entries and 50 sales.

Challenges of Social Marketing

• Needs constant updates: Must post often to stay seen, which takes time.
• High competition: Many brands fight for attention, making it hard to stand out.
• Negative feedback: Bad comments or complaints can hurt the brand publicly.
• Requires skill: Making good content and handling replies needs effort and know-how.
• Example: A Pokhara restaurant posts a deal on Facebook, but a slow-service complaint sparks a public argument, damaging their image.

Mobile Marketing

Mobile marketing is the use of smartphones and tablets to promote products or services through tools like texts, apps, or ads, reaching customers instantly and personally on their devices to drive engagement and sales.

Key Aspects of Mobile Marketing

• Instant: Messages reach users fast, often opened within minutes (e.g., texts or alerts).
• Personal: Can use names, past buys, or location to feel tailored to each person.
• Mobile-Friendly: Content fits small screens, like short ads or easy buttons.
• Trackable: Businesses see who opens, clicks, or responds to improve campaigns.
• Example: A Kathmandu pizza shop sends a text saying “Free drink today!” and 20 people order within an hour, showing instant and personal impact.

Benefits of Mobile Marketing

• Wide Reach: Reaches tons of people since most own phones (e.g., over 80% of Nepalis), connecting even rural users with basic devices. Helps businesses tap into a huge audience anytime, anywhere. Example: A Nepali clothing store texts a sale to 5,000 phone users, reaching both city and village customers in a day.
• Instant Delivery: Sends messages like texts or alerts super fast, often seen within minutes, speeding up customer action. Perfect for urgent deals or quick updates that grab attention right away. Example: A Kathmandu café texts “Free coffee today!” at 10 AM, bringing 20 customers by noon.
• High Response Rates: People check texts or app notifications quickly (e.g., 90% open SMS in 3 minutes), leading to more replies or buys. Boosts success since users act faster than with emails or ads. Example: A Pokhara store sends a “20% off” push alert, and 30 users order within an hour.
• Personal Touch: Tailors messages with names or past buys, making customers feel special and more likely to engage. Builds a closer bond compared to generic ads. Example: A Nepali app sends “Hi Sita, your favorite shoes are back!” and she buys them that day.
• Cost-Effective: Cheaper than TV or print ads—texts or app alerts cost little but reach lots, saving money for small businesses. Gets big results without a big budget. Example: A Biratnagar shop spends Rs. 1,000 on an SMS campaign and sells Rs. 10,000 worth of goods.
• Trackable Results: Shows who opened, clicked, or bought with tools like app data, helping businesses see what works and fix what doesn’t. Makes it easy to improve campaigns with real numbers. Example: A Nepali travel app tracks a “Book now” alert, sees 50 clicks and 5 sales, then tweaks it for more.

Strategies for effective mobile marketing

• Send SMS Campaigns: Text short, clear deals or updates to users’ phones to grab attention and prompt quick action without needing internet. Works because it’s simple and reaches everyone with a phone instantly. Example: A Nepali store texts “50% off shoes today only!” to 1,000 customers, getting 30 to visit by evening.
• Use Push Notifications: Send app alerts with timely offers or reminders to keep users engaged and nudge them to buy or check something out. Effective for urgent deals since it pops up on screens even if the app is closed. Example: A clothing app in Nepal sends “Dashain sale ends tonight!” to users, leading to 15 instant purchases.
• Create Mobile Ads: Show ads in games, apps, or browsers, targeting specific groups like youth or travelers to catch them while they’re online. Grabs attention in a fun setting, encouraging clicks with little effort. Example: A Nepali travel ad in a gaming app offers “Cheap Pokhara trips,” and 10 players book after seeing it.
• Optimize for Mobile: Make websites, emails, or ads easy to use on phones with fast loading and big buttons so users don’t leave frustrated. Keeps customers shopping by fitting their small screens perfectly. Example: Daraz Nepal’s mobile site loads fast with clear “Buy Now” buttons, helping a student order earphones easily.
• Personalization: Tailor messages or ads with users’ names, past buys, or preferences to make them feel special and more likely to act. Works because it feels like a one-on-one offer, not a generic blast. Example: A Nepali app sends “Hi Anil, 20% off your favorite kurtas!” to a user, prompting him to buy again.
• Time It Right: Send messages or ads when people are free—like lunch breaks or evenings—not odd hours, to avoid annoying them. Boosts response rates by matching users’ daily routines. Example: A Kathmandu café sends a “Free coffee 12-2 PM” text at 11:30 AM, bringing in 20 lunch orders. 
• User Experience: Focus on making mobile interactions smooth, fun, and simple—like easy navigation or quick checkouts—to keep users happy. Good experience means they stay longer and buy more without stress. Example: Foodmandu’s app has a clear menu and fast order button, so a busy mom in Pokhara orders dinner in 2 minutes.

Challenges of Mobile Marketing

• Overload Risk: Too many messages annoy users, leading to ignored texts or app deletes.
• Timing Issues: Wrong times (e.g., midnight alerts) upset customers and hurt the brand.
• Data Dependency: Slow or no internet in rural areas stops messages from working.
• Privacy Concerns: Users worry about sharing location or personal info, reducing trust.
• Example: A Pokhara store sends 5 daily texts about deals, and customers complain about spam, uninstalling the app and skipping future offers.

Local and Location-Based Marketing

Local and location-based marketing targets customers in a specific area, like a city or neighborhood, using digital tools like Google Maps or GPS to send ads or offers based on where they are. It connects online promotion to nearby buyers, encouraging them to visit stores or order locally with deals that feel close and relevant.

Benefits of Local and Location-Based Marketing

• Increased Customer Engagement: Delivering relevant and timely message enhance customer experience.
• Improve Conversion Rates: Targeting Potential Customer based on their location increases the likelihood of conversions.
• Enhance Brand Visibility: Building a strong local presence can boost brand awareness.
• Competitive Advantage: Gaining a competitive edge by understanding and reaching local customers.
• Measurable Results: Tracking the performance of LBM campaign allow for data-driven optimization.

Tools of Local and Location-Based Marketing

• Geo-Targeting: Targets ads to people in a set area (e.g., city or district) based on their IP address or phone location, reaching the right local crowd. Helps businesses focus marketing on specific regions without wasting effort elsewhere. Example: A Nepali clothing store runs a Facebook ad for sarees targeting only Kathmandu users, getting 20 online orders from the city.
• Geo-Fencing: Sets a virtual boundary (e.g., 1 km radius) around a place, sending ads or alerts to phones entering that zone, perfect for real-time offers. Grabs customers when they’re super close and ready to act. Example: A Pokhara café sends “Free tea if you’re within 500 meters” to app users, bringing 15 people in an hour.
• Proximity Marketing: Uses Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to send messages to phones near a specific spot (e.g., a shop), offering deals to people walking by. Works for instant, in-the-moment promotions to nearby customers. Example: A Kathmandu bookstore sends “10% off today” to phones near their shop, getting 10 walk-ins that afternoon.
• Local SEO: Improves a website’s ranking on search engines for local searches (e.g., “restaurants near me”) using keywords and location details. Makes businesses easy to find when people look for local options online. Example: A Biratnagar tailor adds “best tailoring in Biratnagar” to their site, ranking high on Google and attracting 5 new clients weekly.
• Google My Business: A free tool to list a business on Google with details like address, hours, and reviews, showing up in searches and maps. Helps locals find and trust a business with clear, updated info. Example: A Butwal momo stall lists on Google My Business, gets 20 visits after people search “momos near me” and see 5-star reviews.
• Beacon Technology: Small devices that use Bluetooth to send offers to phones within a short range (e.g., inside a store), enhancing in-store marketing. Adds a personal touch by targeting customers right where they shop.Example: A Kathmandu mall uses beacons to send “20% off at our shoe store” to shoppers inside, leading to 8 sales in a day.

Strategies for effective Local and Location-Based Marketing

• Understand Your Local Audience: Learn what nearby customers like, need, or do (e.g., age, habits) to make ads or offers that fit them perfectly. Helps target the right people with stuff they actually want, boosting response rates. Example: A Kathmandu café finds locals love momos, so they run a “Momo Monday” deal, selling 50 plates in a day.
• Optimize for Mobile: Make websites, ads, or maps easy to use on phones with fast loading and clear info since most local searches happen on mobiles. Keeps nearby customers from leaving if the experience is slow or confusing. Example: A Pokhara bookstore’s mobile site has big “Order Now” buttons, letting 10 students buy books easily on their phones.
• Leverage Data for Personalization: Use location or customer data (e.g., past visits) to send tailored offers that feel special and relevant to nearby people. Makes ads more effective by matching them to what locals care about. Example: A Butwal shop sends “Hi Ravi, 15% off near you!” to a repeat customer, getting him to order again that week.
• Engage with Community: Join local events, sponsor things, or post about neighborhood happenings to build trust and connect with people close by. Shows the business cares, turning locals into loyal customers. Example: A Biratnagar tailor sponsors a Dashain fair, posts pics on Facebook, and gains 20 new clients from the area.
• Test and Optimize: Try different ads or offers (e.g., discounts vs. freebies), track what works, and tweak them to get better results over time. Saves money by focusing on the best ideas based on real feedback. Example: A Kathmandu shoe store tests a “Buy 1, Get 1 Free” ad vs. “20% off,” finds the first brings 15 sales vs. 5, and sticks with it.

Challenges of Local and Location-Based Marketing

• Limited Reach: Only targets a small area, missing customers far away who might still buy online.
• Tech Issues: GPS or location data can fail (e.g., wrong spots), sending ads to the wrong people.
• Privacy Worries: Users may dislike sharing their location, reducing trust or participation.
• High Costs: Setting up precise targeting (e.g., geofencing) can be pricey for small businesses.
• Example: A Butwal saree shop sets a 5 km ad radius, but a GPS glitch targets a village 20 km away, wasting money and confusing buyers.