Statistics indicate that over 60 percent of the world’s population now owns smartphones. On average, mobile users spend 3 hours and 50 minutes scrolling through the internet. As a result, mobile advertising has grown tremendously in recent years, with industry mobile marketing stats suggesting that spending on mobile ads will grow to nearly $400 billion by the end of 2024. To take advantage of this booming market and stay ahead of the competition, you must prioritize staying informed about the latest and future trends in mobile advertising.
This article provides insight into 15 trends in mobile advertising you must monitor to remain competitive and maximize your advertising efforts. Let’s dive in.
How To Stay Informed About the Latest Ad Trends
Keeping up with digital and mobile marketing trends is a daunting task, even for the most experienced and well-informed mobile marketers. But it isn’t unachievable — with a little effort and purpose, the latest trends will never catch you off guard. Here’s how you can do this:
- Set aside dedicated time: As an advertiser, you have a lot on your plate. Staying informed about the latest ad trends may seem like another item on your already lengthy to-do list. However, setting aside dedicated time each week to stay updated on trends in mobile marketing advertising is crucial. Treat it as an investment in your professional development and the success of your advertising campaigns with either a short period every day or a longer stretch of time on a specific day each week to research and learn.
- Subscribe to industry newsletters and publications: This passive approach allows you to stay informed about trends in mobile advertising while minimizing the time and effort you would otherwise spend actively searching for information. You’ll receive the latest news, trends, and analysis directly in your inbox regularly without investing significant time and effort. For example, AUDIENCEX offers our own monthly newsletter, where we highlight featured content on the latest in adtech and the advertising landscape.
- Follow industry leaders and influencers: Key figures in the mobile advertising industry will usually have the latest on what’s trending. These individuals often have insider knowledge, access to exclusive information, and a keen understanding of the industry’s pulse. Follow marketing experts on social media like LinkedIn, X (Twitter), or any platform where they share their insights to stay informed about the latest trends.
The Latest Trends In Mobile Advertising
Now that you know how and where to find information on the latest ad trends in mobile marketing, let’s get into the specific trends you should prepare for and how best to approach them.
1. Increased Use of Augmented Reality (AR) in Ads
Augmented Reality (AR) is a technology that overlays digital information or virtual elements onto the real-world environment, typically viewed through a smartphone, tablet, or wearable device. Unlike Virtual Reality (VR), which creates a completely immersive digital environment, AR enhances the real-world environment with added virtual elements such as graphics, images, or animations. Users can interact with these virtual elements while being aware of their physical surroundings, creating a blended experience of the digital and physical worlds.
This technology has entered mobile advertising as advertisers seek to create more engaging and interactive experiences for their audiences. In ads, AR provides users with immersive experiences that allow them to interact with products or branded content in real-time. For example, users can:
- Virtually try on clothing or accessories
- Visualize how furniture would look in their home
- Play games that incorporate branded elements
While this trend is still taking shape in mobile advertising, there are notable examples of AR in use such as the Sephora Virtual Artist, a feature within the Sephora app that allows users to try on makeup virtually before making a purchase. Tools like this, which enable consumers to virtually test products using their smartphone camera, help them make more confident purchasing decisions.
AUDIENCEX works with our partner, GEENEE AR, to power some of the most advanced augmented reality experiences available – on websites, apps, and most uniquely, embedded directly within display ad units. These experiences drive significantly deeper engagement, building connections while helping consumers move more rapidly through the consideration phase of the purchase journey.
2. The Rise of 5G
With 5G, advertisers can leverage high-quality video content, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and other bandwidth-intensive technologies to create immersive and interactive ad experiences that were previously not possible on slower networks. For example, 5G enables seamless streaming of high-definition video ads, which can capture users’ attention and convey brand messages more effectively.
Furthermore, the lower latency provided by 5G allows for real-time interactions and personalized experiences, such as dynamic ad creative that adapts based on user behavior or location. This level of interactivity and personalization can enhance user engagement and drive better campaign performance for advertisers.
The rise of 5G also presents opportunities for advertisers to explore emerging technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT) devices and connected devices. With the rapid growth of 5G-enabled devices and the expansion of the IoT ecosystem, advertisers can tap into new channels and touchpoints to engage with potential customers in innovative ways.
3. Growth of Mobile Video Advertising
With the popularity of platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat, users spend more time watching videos on their smartphones than ever. Figures from Statista indicate that Millennials spend between 10 and 20 hours a week watching online videos. This shift in consumer behavior presents advertisers with a lucrative opportunity to reach their target audience through engaging and immersive video content.
Mobile video advertising offers several benefits for advertisers. First, videos have proven highly effective in capturing users’ attention and conveying brand messages in a compelling and memorable way. Video ads combine sight, sound, and motion to evoke emotions, tell stories, and showcase products or services in a way that static ads cannot.
Additionally, advancements in technology and ad formats have made it easier for advertisers to create and distribute mobile video ads across various channels and devices. From short-form ads optimized for social media platforms to longer-form ads for streaming services, advertisers have a wide range of options to suit their campaign objectives and target audience.
These factors have led mobile video advertising to experience rapid growth, and industry leaders expect it to continue to dominate mobile marketing. Advertisers who embrace mobile video as part of their advertising strategy stand to benefit from increased brand visibility, customer engagement, and conversion rates, ultimately driving business growth in the mobile-first world.
4. Advancements in Location-Based Advertising
GPS has advanced tremendously in recent years, thanks to improvements in satellite technology, increased accuracy, and the widespread adoption of GPS-enabled smartphones. These developments have paved the way for more sophisticated and effective location-based mobile marketing strategies, allowing advertisers to target users based on their real-time location and behavior.
One key advancement in location-based advertising is the ability to deliver highly targeted and contextually relevant push notifications to users based on their specific location and proximity to businesses or points of interest — thanks to technology known as “geofencing.” Mobile commerce can leverage GPS data to create dynamic geofences around physical locations, such as retail stores, restaurants, or event venues, and deliver ads to users when they enter or exit these areas. This enables advertisers to reach users when they are most likely to be receptive to their message, increasing the effectiveness of their campaigns.
The growing adoption of mobile apps and platforms that provide access to location data has also fueled advancements in location-based advertising. Navigation, mobile gaming, and social media apps are just a few examples of platforms that collect and share location information and provide advertisers with valuable insights into users’ behavior and preferences.
5. Expansion of Mobile Ad Formats
As mobile usage continues to grow and evolve, advertisers are exploring various ad formats beyond traditional banner ads to deliver users more immersive and interactive experiences with high impact mobile ads.
Another development in mobile ad formats is the growth of native advertising, which seamlessly integrates sponsored content into the user experience of mobile apps and websites. Native ads mimic the look and feel of the surrounding content, making them less intrusive and more engaging for users. Whether it’s sponsored articles, promoted posts on social media feeds, or branded videos, native ads blend seamlessly with organic content. This provides advertisers with an effective, non-disruptive way to reach users.
6. Voice Search and Audio Ads
Voice search allows users to speak their queries aloud rather than typing them into a search engine for faster and more convenient access to information. This shift in user behavior has profound implications for advertisers, as it alters how potential customers discover products and services and interact with brands.
In response to the rise of voice search, advertisers are now adapting their strategies to optimize their content for voice-enabled devices and capitalize on the opportunities this emerging technology presents. This includes tailoring their keywords and content to align with natural language queries and conversational search patterns and optimizing their websites and mobile apps for voice search compatibility.
Moreover, advertisers can now reach consumers through audio ads delivered via voice-enabled devices. Audio ads are short, spoken messages that play before, during, or after audio content, such as music streaming, podcasts, or voice search results. These ads target already engaged users to offer a unique opportunity to engage them in a more intimate and immersive way.
7. AI and Machine Learning in Ad Personalization
AI and ML technologies enable advertisers to analyze vast amounts of data and gain valuable insights into user preferences, behaviors, and intent. This allows for more accurate and targeted ad campaigns.
One primary way advertisers use AI and machine learning in ad personalization is through predictive analytics. AI algorithms can analyze historical data on user interactions, purchase patterns, and demographics to accurately predict future behavior and preferences. This allows advertisers to deliver personalized ad experiences tailored to users’ interests and needs.
8. Privacy-First Advertising
While we’re no longer planning for a fully cookieless future, user privacy remains at the forefront for the industry, and a growing audience has opted out of this type of tracking. This creates limitations in targeting and reaching users, which can impact the effectiveness of ad campaigns. On the other hand, the shift towards more privacy-centric advertising practices can lead to greater transparency and trust between advertisers and consumers, ultimately improving the overall user experience.
Advertisers must adapt their strategies and adopt new technologies and approaches that prioritize user privacy while delivering the relevant and personalized ad experiences that audiences expect. This may involve investing in data management platforms (DMPs) or customer data platforms (CDPs) to collect, analyze, and activate first-party data and partnering with trusted publishers and platforms prioritizing user privacy and consent.
Technologies that can fuel performance while prioritizing privacy are already available, including AI tools such as those available in the AUDIENCEX Intelligence (AXi) suite. These tools operate with consented, privacy-safe datasets, log-level and historical data access, powering advanced analysis that delivers improved performance without compromising user privacy or handling personally identifiable information.
9. Privacy-first Advertising Strategies
As data privacy regulations become increasingly stringent and consumer awareness of privacy issues grows, mobile advertising that adopts privacy-first strategies has become essential for building trust with consumers and maintaining compliance with regulations such as GDPR and CCPA.
One key aspect of privacy-first advertising strategies is transparency. Advertisers should communicate to users how they collect, use, and share data. It’s also critical that they obtain explicit consent before collecting personal information. This transparency builds trust with users and helps them feel more comfortable engaging with ads.
Another important component of privacy-first advertising strategies is data minimization. Advertisers should only collect the data necessary to deliver relevant ad experiences and avoid collecting sensitive or unnecessary information. Minimizing the amount of data collected allows advertisers to reduce the risk of data breaches and ensure compliance with privacy regulations.
10. Blockchain Technology for Transparency and Trust
By its nature, blockchain creates a decentralized and immutable ledger that records transactions across a network of computers. This transparency ensures that no one can alter or tamper with data, providing a high level of trust and security.
Blockchain technology can revolutionize how advertisers conduct and verify transactions. One application is combating ad fraud, which is a major concern for advertisers. Blockchain can track the flow of ad impressions and clicks, allowing advertisers to verify that their ads are displayed to real users and not bots. This transparency reduces the risk of ad fraud and ensures that advertisers get what they pay for.
11. Interactive and Gamified Ad Experiences
Interactive and gamified ad experiences have gained traction in the advertising industry as brands seek innovative ways to engage with consumers and differentiate themselves in a crowded marketplace.
An emerging trend in mobile ads is the adoption of interactive and rich media ads. These ads go beyond static images and text to deliver more dynamic and engaging user experiences. These ads leverage features to capture users’ attention and encourage interaction, such as:
- Video
- Animation
- Gamification
- Haptic feedback
For example, playable ads allow users to try out a game or app before downloading. Interactive ads let users swipe, tap, or tilt their devices to explore different product features or storylines.
12. Influencer Marketing and Social Media Integration
Unlike traditional advertising methods, which can feel impersonal and one-sided, influencer marketing allows brands to tap into the trust and credibility that influencers have built with their followers. Because of this, influencer marketing has emerged as a powerful tool for mobile advertising to authentically engage with their target audience.
Furthermore, social media integration plays a crucial role in amplifying the reach and impact of influencer marketing campaigns. These platforms provide a highly interactive and engaging environment where influencers can share content, interact with their followers, and drive conversations around branded products or services.
13. Cross-Device Marketing and Attribution
With consumers seamlessly transitioning between smartphones, tablets, desktops, and other connected devices, advertisers must accurately attribute conversions and optimize ad campaigns across various touchpoints.
Cross-device marketing enables advertisers to track and understand the interconnectedness of user interactions across different devices, allowing for more precise targeting and personalized messaging. Additionally, advanced attribution models, such as multi-touch attribution and probabilistic modeling, provide insights into the effectiveness of each touchpoint in the conversion path. This empowers advertisers to allocate their budgets more efficiently and maximize the ROI of their mobile advertising efforts.
14. User-generated Content in Ads
The rise of social media platforms and the prevalence of smartphones has led to consumers generating and sharing content related to their experiences with brands and products. Advertisers have incorporated user-generated content into their mobile advertising strategies to harness the authenticity and credibility of peer recommendations.
Brands can feature UGC in ads to create more personalized and impactful campaigns that resonate with consumers on a deeper level. This can drive higher engagement and foster a sense of community around their products or services.
15. Ethical Advertising
Ethical advertising involves:
- Aligning marketing efforts with values such as honesty, transparency, and social responsibility
- Respecting consumer privacy
- Fostering trust with the audience
Consumers today expect the brands they use to uphold ethical standards in advertising. This means being honest and transparent in their messaging and ensuring that advertisements accurately represent their products or services without resorting to deceptive tactics. Additionally, consumers value brands that prioritize social responsibility and contribute positively to society, whether through:
- Sustainable practices
- Charitable initiatives
- Advocacy for important social issues
- Promoting diversity and inclusion both inwardly and outwardly
Prepare for the Future of Mobile Advertising Today
It’s not enough to be aware of the latest and future trends in mobile advertising. You must prepare and adapt your marketing strategy to stay relevant. A dedicated, full-service advertiser partner like AUDIENCEX can help you stay ahead of the competition and fully up to speed on the latest trends, insights, and technology.
With our comprehensive suite of services, seamless omnichannel media access, and emergent AI technology, we are built to help brands and agencies alike effectively navigate the challenges of our ever-evolving landscape, whatever the future may bring. Whether leveraging advanced data science, harnessing the power of AI for predictive audience modeling, or optimizing campaigns on mobile, our team has the expertise and resources to drive your success – both within each channel and holistically throughout the entire advertising landscape.
Reach out today to be connected with a member of our expert team who will discuss your specific needs, goals, challenges, and can help you deliver results today while preparing for anything tomorrow may bring.