One minute you’re scrolling along your Facebook news feed from your mobile phone, next thing you know those adorable shoes you have been wanting forever pop up along the side of your page. Next thing you know, you’re on another website and only clicks away from owning yet another pair of shoes. That’s the power of mobile advertising.

Literally dominating the scene on nearly all marketing fronts – mobile is evolving as the a primary platform for advertising. Take a look at these mobile statistics:

• Fifty-one percent of consumers are more likely to make a purchase from a mobile-optimized site.
• Mobile ads receive 3x the amount of clicks than traditional ads and mobile coupons receive 10x the redemption rate. (Borrell Associations 2012)
• By 2016, 88 percent of local advertising will be delivered on mobile. (Borrell Associations 2012)
• Nine out of ten mobile searches lead to action, with more than half leading to purchase. (Search Engine Land)
• Average mobile CTR is 23 percent while CPC is lower for mobile than traditional advertising. (AppFlood)

In order to take advantage of the mobile marketing opportunity, the first step is to get in the game! Here are nine tips to help you get in the game the right way and fully tap into the power of mobile marketing.

1. Mobile Advertising: The Rule of Simplicity

You want your customers to get through the buying process as quickly as possible – and so does the user. Some studies suggest the more clicks a user has make the higher the drop-off rate. However, research indicates the number of clicks is not quite as important as previously thought. Instead, it’s all about usability. Keep your mobile ads simple with a clear and direct Call To Action (CTA) such as an email signup or an offer claim.

2. Mobile Advertising: Promoting Social Media Sharing

According to one case study, users are three times more likely to share content on mobile vs. desktop and 66 percent more likely to retweet mobile content. One way you could incorporate this into your ad is by offering a contest that encourages users to share your page on social media to be entered for a chance to receive a discount on your products or services. Ask within the ad for the user to share your content.

3. Mobile Advertising: Targeting Geographically

Audience geo-targeting is highly effective on mobile devices. How effective? According to Search Engine Land – ads that are targeted by location are twice as effective. If you run a brick and mortar shop, you can even target users to receive ads when they are within a certain radius of your store.

Run some basic analytics on your website or collect customer information at the purchasing counter to discover where most of your customers are located. Highly targeted ads will result in the lowest cost per conversion and greatest return on your marketing investment.

4. Mobile Advertising: Providing Incentives

When someone stumbles upon your ad, you don’t just want them to click on it – you want to convert them to a customer or at least a marketable prospect. Create offers and promotions that urge the user to act immediately. You can even create ads that will alert the user during the correct time of the buying cycle. For instance, once a user abandons a  digital shopping cart – send an ad that offers a discount on merchandise that was included in their cart.

Another effective mobile marketing strategy is to send coupons to customers after the completion of a purchase complete with a thank you notice. These kinds of marketing messages are best sent via email, but it’s important that these emails are optimized for mobile devices. Keep in mind that 45 percent of all emails are now being opened on mobile. (Adestra 2015)

5. Mobile Advertising: Analyzing Mobile Metrics

Mobile users engage on the internet in very different ways than desktop users. When you’re crafting your mobile marketing campaign, look specifically at mobile users and the actions they are taking on your website. When you use this data to create mobile ads that are optimized for your mobile users they’ll be more likely to convert.

6. Mobile Advertising: The Click-to-Call

When users access your website from a device with calling capabilities, featuring a prominent click-to-call button is a simple way for users to contact your business. In fact, a Google funded study shows that 70 percent of mobile users have used the click-to-call feature. This study also revealed that users who are are searching for a business online ”frequently” or ”always” need to call it and 47 percent said they would skip over a business on mobile without a click-to-call.

7. Mobile Advertising: Being Direct

Tell users exactly what action you want them to perform. As an action-oriented platform, mobile marketing works best with specific CTAs. Examples of these types of ads include buy one get one free, 30-percent discount, shop now, buy now, etc. Always keep in mind the fact that mobile users are action-oriented.

8. Mobile Advertising: Creating Conversion Points

Users need an action to complete on your website. By creating several landing or conversion pages, you will be able to track your mobile ads individually to see which one is performing the best. Direct conversion opportunities like sign up here, click here, call now and complete a purchase are all effective CTAs that allow you to track your conversion rate.

9. Mobile Advertising: Using Images

Images send a powerful message about your brand and help accomplish your goals. There are no substitutions for a strong, eye catching graphic. Try to keep the photos you use strong, and uncluttered without unnecessary text.

The competitive world of digital marketing is a dynamic plane that is rapidly evolving over time. In order to succeed in this front, stay current on best practices and implement tactful and useful advice. These tips we have presented are designed to help you tap into the power of mobile marketing – good luck!

Want more? Check out this awesome infographic from Whoishostingthis.com that shows you everything you need to know about mobile ads.