Mobile advertising is exploding, and automotive marketers are in a unique position to benefit. In the last year, mobile ad spend in the auto industry has increased over 230 percent, and both dealers and national brands have recognized the opportunities in mobile and are shifting more ad spend into the space. As the industry continues to grow and evolve, it has become crucial for marketers to understand the mobile landscape and evolve their strategies accordingly.

The Audience Today for Mobile Automotive Content
According to a comScore study commissioned by Millennial Media, the consumers who are accessing automotive content on their mobile devices tend to be young males between the ages of 18 and 34. As a whole, 68 percent of all mobile consumers are male, and these consumers tend to be wealthy, as 50 percent of all mobile auto consumers have an annual income of over $75,000.

More importantly, these consumers are actively seeking content on their mobile devices today. The consumers who view auto content on their mobile devices are often researching and considering auto purchases. Of this overall population of mobile auto users, 31 percent view some sort of content once a week and 21 percent view this content almost every day. There is an enormous opportunity for marketers to reach and engage these consumers who are actively looking for auto content.

Mobile Campaigns Today
One of the key campaign goals for dealers who advertise on mobile devices is to drive consumers directly into dealerships. As consumers are seeking out auto content on their phones, often in critical stages of the purchase funnel, dealers can present them with a call to action that will capitalize on their interest and bring them into the dealership for information, or more importantly, to test drive. 

The top overall mobile campaign goal for auto advertisers is building awareness around the launch of new products or car models, but advertisers also run campaigns to increase general brand awareness or to increase lead generation and/or registration. These campaigns are designed to reach consumers to build brand affinity that will pay dividends when the consumer is ready to consider and/or purchase.

Targeting Strategies in Mobile
One of the key campaign goals for many auto advertisers is to reach every possible target consumer, regardless of device or operating system. While some advertisers may want to focus only on Apple or Android devices, many marketers understand that millions of consumers are still browsing the mobile web on feature phones, and media plans should be set up to run cross platform in order to reach as many potential auto enthusiasts, buyers, etc., as possible.

If a campaign is set up to run cross-platform, advertisers can still implement many other targeting parameters that will help them reach and engage their core audience. Auto advertisers often choose to target by local market, demographic or behavioral audience. For dealers, local market targeting can ensure they are only reaching consumers in a pre-determined location, ranging from a designated market area to a radius surrounding a specific latitude and longitude.

Getting Started in Mobile
As auto marketers continue to invest in mobile, it is crucial to understand what is going on in the space. Different campaigns can have different goals, and the variety of targeting parameters available give marketers a unique opportunity to reach and engage their desired audience.

The data and insights in this article were taken from Millennial Media’s Mobile Intel Series whitepaper, on mobile advertising in the automotive industry. The full report can be downloaded here: http://www.millennialmedia.com/research/mobile-intel/


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