How CMOs Can Build Their
Mobile App Strategy

Mobile as an interactive solution for
brand-building, growth, and revenue
Writen by:
Ritika Puri and Kate Swanberg

How CMOs Can Build Their Mobile App Strategy 01
That’s why marketing teams need to be involved with
every aspect of your company’s mobile strategy from
UX design to data science and even product integration.
The fact is that all of these touchpoints will influence a
marketing team’s revenue and growth numbers.
This feedback loop provides an
invaluable asset for CMOs who are
looking to take their digital
marketing programs to new
heights. Personalization, real-time
targeting, and cross channel
engagement are direct byproducts
of high-performing mobile
marketing strategies. A simple app
can provide the bridge that your
company needs to unify brand
awareness, engagement, and
retention activities.
But often, mobile app development
strategies ‘live’ within product
teams. Marketers are tasked with
increasing user adoption and
launching one-off campaigns.
While this level of cross-team
collaboration is important, it is only
the first step of a high-performing
mobile app strategy. The fact is
that mobile apps themselves are
marketing tools that can help CMOs
build a cohesive, integrated brand
experience.
hen it comes to the mobile ecosystem, the growth and engagement
numbers speak for themselves. Smartphones and tablets provide
direct channels of communication between brands and consumers, giving
organizations the ability to (1) influence consumer behavior and (2) learn
from customers.
W

We wrote this guide to help CMOs kickstart their organization’s mobile app
strategies. You’ll learn how to:
Kickstart key, cross-functional conversations regarding
your mobile app strategy
Integrate your mobile apps with your overall brand
strategy
Identify and make the most out of resulting data assets
Build apps that your audiences will love and how you
can use those apps to drive growth and revenue
How CMOs Can Build Their Mobile App Strategy 02
Let’s get started.

Marketing’s data-driven,
multi-platform future.
What it means to be a CMO
now and five years from now.
Part I:

an exciting time to be a CMO. As key customer advocates and
empathizers, marketing teams have evolved from brand-builders
to revenue engines within their organizations. In addition to launching
innovative branding campaigns, marketing leaders are directly responsible
for key growth goals including sales conversions, average order values,
and user retention.
It’s
Since the 1950s, consumers
have been taking back control,
slowly but certainly surely. In
1950, the first remote control was
marketed by Zenith. It attached
to the TV by a wire. In 1953,
Zenith made it wireless. This
may seem trivial, but there is
actually huge significance to the
wireless remote: It gave
consumers more control.
“
”
How CMOs Can Build Their Mobile App Strategy 04
The digital media ecosystem is, essentially, a remote control on
steroids.
These goals are tough to
achieve, and a recent
Digiday article explains
why:
Now more than ever, consumers are in the driver’s seat. They choose
what social channels to engage with and what websites to browse. Thanks
to search engines, they’re becoming increasingly research driven and
committed to seeking out resources that are tailored to their needs, goals,
and ambitions. Thanks to the proliferation of engaging online content,
consumers are highly like to ignore banner ads.

The average clickthrough
rate of a display ad is 0.1% - DoubleClick via HubSpot
Brands need to engage audiences on a personal, ‘in-the-moment’ level.
This need raises the stakes for CMOs and places increased demands on
marketers to deliver consolidated brand and user experiences. With the
wealth of cross-platform data available, marketers have seemingly infinite
resources to better understand their customers. But here’s the thing: in the
world of data, ‘more’ isn’t always better. With data sprawled across
multiple marketing channels, CMOs are finding themselves buried under an
information avalanche.
“ ”
“
”
CMOs know a plethora of
digital technologies to leverage.
Their challenge, however is to
rally around the right ones for
their business.
According to a recent report
from Accenture, one in four
CMOs cite a lack of critical
technologies and tools as
the chief barrier to digital
integration. As Accenture
puts it:
How CMOs Can Build Their Mobile App Strategy 05

There’s a gap, however, between what CMOs need to do and
what’s actually happening:
Now more than ever, consumers are in the driver’s seat. They choose
what social channels to engage with and what websites to browse. Thanks
to search engines, they’re becoming increasingly research driven and
committed to seeking out resources that are tailored to their needs, goals,
and ambitions. Thanks to the proliferation of engaging online content,
consumers are highly like to ignore banner ads.
77 percent of CMOs say it’s essential to deliver effective
customer experience, but only 62 percent think they are
doing a good job.
78 percent of CMOs believe marketing will undergo a
fundamental change over the next five years, driven by
analytics, digital, and mobile technologies, but only 21
percent of CMOs believe their company will be known
as a digital business in five years.
How CMOs Can Build Their Mobile App Strategy 06

The rise of interactive,
cross-channel brand experiences.
Part II:

How CMOs Can Build Their Mobile App Strategy 08
2000
0
500.000.000
1.000.000.000
1.500.000.000
2.000.000.000
2.500.000.000
3.000.000.000
2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014E 2016E
Tablets
Smartphones
Computers
WE ARE HERE
Total number of unit of smartphones, tablets,
and PC’s globally
arketers know that mobile adoption is growing
exponentially. According to Gartner, there are more
smartphones than there are PCs in the world -- and that number
is only going to grow.
M

Mobile is the one technology that
lives in your customers’ pockets. In
fact, they’re glued to their screens.
Research from the Pew Center
points out that 44 percent of cell
phone owners will go so far as to
sleep next to their smartphones so
that they don’t miss out on emails
or calls during the night.
What’s more important is that
mobile connects the dots between
all consumer touchpoints. A simple
loyalty app, for instance, has the
potential to unify offline and
brick-and-mortar worlds -- two
shopping realms that just 10 years
ago, was impossible to integrate.
How CMOs Can Build Their Mobile App Strategy 09
One brand that brings this concept
to life is Starbucks. The coffee
giant has integrated its mobile
strategy with its core in-store
experience. Coffee lovers can use
the Starbucks app to pay for drinks,
earn rewards, and find nearby
stores -- actions that encourage
heavy brand engagement, repeat
app usage, and revenue.

Even more importantly, Starbucks can geographic and transactional data
to understand the needs of its app users on an individual level. To call the
predictive analytics and consumer insights capabilities massive would be
an understatement.
As the Starbucks
example reveals, mobile
is integrated within the
deepest and most
routine parts of
consumers’ everyday
lives. People are using
mobile to read the news,
stay connected with
loved ones, and manage
the logistics of their day
to day lives. The most
engaging mobile apps
are the ones that make
life easier.
That’s why brand apps need to solve a
very precise user experience need or
pain point. Naturally, this approach will
position an app at the center of a
company’s core product and marketing
strategy. That’s why Starbucks app has
become such a deeply integrated part of
the company’s conversion funnel -- the
app was built as a core part of the
in-store experience.
How CMOs Can Build Their Mobile App Strategy 10

How CMOs Can Build Their Mobile App Strategy 11
Building a marketing-led mobile app strategy
Mobile apps are more than
just products. They have the
potential to be an invaluable
growth driver for your
organization. Take a typical
brand loyalty app as an
example. Often companies
will decide that they need to
be present on mobile. They’ll
develop a lackluster app --
on a minimal budget -- that
target customers won’t
actually want to use. This
approach isn’t a strategy. At
best, it’s a ‘one-off’
campaign.
Sure, with a low sticker price, these apps a seemingly low barrier for
entering the mobile space. But ‘cheap’ is the polar opposite of
cost-effective. An app that nobody uses is a complete waste of resources.
Not to mention, a lackluster app will be an opportunity cost for the type of
app that your company could build to keep audiences engaged.
22 percent of CMOs polled in a
CMO Council report say that they
see mobile as new territory and an
area that they’re still not fully
comfortable with, while 15 percent
say that they find mobile confusing
“
”- CMO Council via IT Business CA

How CMOs Can Build Their Mobile App Strategy 12
When building a mobile app, many marketers care about user acquisition --
a metric they’re able to measure by capturing download rates. User
acquisition, however, is only one part of the marketing story. Thanks to
paid channel advertising campaigns, it’s easy to ramp up your user base.
But here’s what happens
when you connect audiences
to a sub-par mobile app. Your
marketing strategy will not
only fall flat -- it will tarnish
your brand’s reputation.
There’s no way around the fact
that word-of-mouth is a
marketing force of nature. That’s
why app stores place such a
premium on user reviews. People
trust insight from other people,
and with app ecosystems
becoming more competitive,
brands need to make every effort
to stand out.

Simply having an app isn’t a mobile marketing strategy. The user
experience you create should complement your brand in a unique and
engaging way. The process begins with the questions that CMOs are
already asking:
How CMOs Can Build Their Mobile App Strategy 13
What do target audiences care about?
What makes a product compelling?
What are competitors doing?
What are an organization’s core growth levers?
What incentives are compelling to target audiences?

CMOs as chief data stakeholders
Mobile apps are more than just
products. They have the potential to
be an invaluable growth driver for
your organization. Take a typical brand
loyalty app as an example. Often
companies will decide that they need
to be present on mobile. They’ll
develop a lackluster app -- on a
minimal budget -- that target
customers won’t actually want to use.
This approach isn’t a strategy. At best,
it’s a ‘one-off’ campaign.
A recent study from the Chief
Marketing Officer (CMO)
Council and Tealium points
out that there is a direct link
between improvements in
business and marketing
performance with having a
formal roadmap for digital
marketing technology
acquisition, integration, and
data unification. As the
report explains:
How CMOs Can Build Their Mobile App Strategy 14
Nearly one-third (30 percent) of CMOs who say they
manage and integrate technology extremely well or
pretty well are seeing tangible business value, with 51
percent of those achieving greater revenue
contributions.
Fifty-nine (59) percent of CMOs who have integrated
this strategy report achieving more targeted, efficient
and relevant customer engagements.

A long-term mobile app strategy is essential to a company’s
long-term data collection and analysis process. Every
campaign should be connected to an organization’s
brand-building future in driving more revenue. The next
section provides a guide for getting started.
How CMOs Can Build Their Mobile App Strategy 15

Creating a mobile blueprint
Part III:

How CMOs Can Build Their Mobile App Strategy 17
ajor consumer brands have a wealth of resources to help them
bring their ideas to life. It can be tempting to run with an awesome
idea or one-off campaign. But these types of initiatives will generate a
short-term yield at best. Your mobile strategy needs to be more than a
marketing push. Just like your team’s most successful growth campaigns,
mobile needs to complement your larger business goals. Here are five
steps to guide our team.
M
Step 1
Build a digital roadmap that outlasts a one-off campaign
Step back and think holistically,
about how mobile apps fit into your
integrated brand experience. Start
with your most successful growth
levers and points of engagement.
You might have a product or
business unit that is taking off -- or
you may have received a number of
customer requests for a product or
service.
Mobile presents a new opportunity
to (1) reach new audiences and (2)
help customers engage with your
brand more. As the competition for
audience spans becomes
increasingly cutthroat, it is
important to build an app that
integrates with your target
audience’s everyday lives.

As Forrester puts it:
How CMOs Can Build Their Mobile App Strategy 18
Your technology-empowered customers now know more
than you do about your products and services, your pricing,
and your reputation. Technology has tipped the balance in
favor of the customer. They can buy anything instantly and
have it delivered to anywhere. And in a world of global
sourcing and efficient supply chains, your competitors can
copy or undermine the moves you take to compete. Your only
successful response — the only way to retain customers and
their loyalty — is to become customer-obsessed.
“
”

Forrester elaborates that ‘customer obsession,’ as a concept, is easier to
talk about than actually do. For many organizations, this way of thinking
requires a paradigm shift towards systematic thinking and
experimentation. Forrester encourages CMOs to take the following steps:
Implement a systematic, measurable roadmap
Position your business towards agility and customer
value
Harness mobile to connect with customers in a time
of need
Turn data into business insights to direct continuous
improvements
1 -
2 -
3 -
4 -
How CMOs Can Build Their Mobile App Strategy 19
The process begins with understanding how mobile can
connect your customers with your brand’s overarching
vision. Here are some examples to guide you:

Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson has built
a 7-minute workout app to
help customers lead healthier
lifestyles. In addition to
empowering consumers --
and aligning its brand identity
with overarching concepts of
health and wellness -- the
company is in a position to
collect a wealth of data about
its target customer base.
How CMOs Can Build Their Mobile App Strategy 20

ESPN SportsCenter
Remember that consumers will only use your app if there is a clear and
compelling reason. The right incentives need to be in place for your
brand to grab their attention.
How CMOs Can Build Their Mobile App Strategy 21
ESPN uses its SportsCenter
app to provide its audience
with up-to-date information
on scores, breaking news,
and video highlights. the app
also provides in-depth
analysis and personalized
alerts to ensure that sports
fans are always aligned with
the ESPN brand. In addition,
SportsCenter utilizes
Facebook login to (1) create a
comprehensive user profile
and (2) build instant social
media distribution
opportunities. SportsCenter
positions ESPN as a reliable,
convenient, comprehensive,
and fun source of
information.

Step 2
Build a direct connection to what your audiences care
about
How CMOs Can Build Their Mobile App Strategy 22
Many companies use their apps as
a re-engagement tool. On mobile,
companies have an arsenal of
resources at their disposal to
bridge connections with target
audiences. As a result, it can be
challenging to choose what types
of features to include in their apps.
Brands mind instantly jump to the
conclusion that pushier is better.
After all, you want your customers
to engage directly with your brand.
As a result, brands incorporate
aggressive push notifications and
other information into their
marketing plans.
What ends up happening,
however, is the opposite.
Users start getting annoyed
and will tune out your brand.
In some product categories, over
60% of their users turn off push
notifications.
“
”
- Shannon Levis and Alli Brian
via AndrewChen.co

How CMOs Can Build Their Mobile App Strategy 23
The answer to this solution is
simple. Make all features of your
app -- including push notifications
-- a core part of your brand and
app experience. For instance, if
you’re creating a marketing
program for an online store, alert
users when a deal or promotion is
about to expire. For inspiration of
this technique in action, check out
the eBay app, which provides alerts
of when an auction is about to end
-- information that audiences are
likely to care about.
App engagement is simple. If the information you have
to share is engaging and important, your audiences
won’t ignore it.

Step 3
Build a data management strategy to learn as much as
possible about your users
How CMOs Can Build Their Mobile App Strategy 24
This information can, in turn,
inform other company activities to
drive additional growth and
engagement. CMOs can also use
the learnings that they are
generating into other company
activities including new product
development, marketing, analytics.
CMOs need to define their
marketing analytics strategies
before building out their apps. This
process will require close
collaboration with product, data
science, and IT teams to ensure
that every potential touchpoint for
data collection and analysis is fully
optimized.
Mobile provides a data hub and allows businesses to collect in-depth
information about their users at the person rather than cookie-levels. This
ability to collect, synthesize, and analyze data is massive. Mobile gives
businesses unique insight into their customers’ behavioral and
demographic traits.
What often happens when companies don’t take the time to build out their
data strategies upfront is missing information. Marketing teams will want
to build out algorithms to predict their customers’ behavior, but they’ll be
missing the information to successfully accomplish this goal.

How CMOs Can Build Their Mobile App Strategy 25
Don’t let that happen.
Create the infrastructure
you need to collect
information that will be
most valuable to your
cross-channel marketing
strategy.
Consider Nike’s
Running app as an
example. Consumers
can use this app to
track their runs and
achieve their goals. It’s
also possible to
integrate the app with
Google Fit.

Netflix is another example app that
illuminates the power of data and
personalization. The company has
created apps to extend the brand’s
core experience across devices.
Through one Netflix account,
users can watch streaming TV and
movies on their phones, tablets,
computers, and media centers. In
other words, Netflix is able to
collect a wealth of information
about audiences -Mobile gives
Nike a direct lens into its target
customers’ health and fitness
activities. The information
generated can be reinvested
across marketing channels --
including social media and email
-- to recommend products that
relate to its app users’
in-the-moment goals. This
personalization capability is a
marketing leader’s dream that is
only made possible through a
highly engaging mobile app.
- Where they are, what they’re watching in different
contexts, and how they’re absorbing information.
How CMOs Can Build Their Mobile App Strategy 26

Netflix is in a strong position
to reinvest these essential
data points into their
recommendation algorithms.
The end result is a more
compelling, more personalized
user experience.
Data is an invaluable asset that can
empower audiences to reach
customers across platforms. You
can design your app to support
social login, for instance, to
integrate with Facebook. In addition
to knowing how users are engaging
with your app, you can use social
media data to form a complete user
profile -- to better understand your
audience’s likes, dislikes, and
shopping preferences. You can use
this invaluable information to target
your audiences more effectively
across marketing channels and
platforms.
How CMOs Can Build Their Mobile App Strategy 27

Mobile Is Marketing’s Future
How CMOs Can Build Their Mobile App Strategy 28
Marketing, as a job function is becoming more ROI-driven and
strategic. The conversation is shifting from brand-building to
directly quantifiable results. A marketing-led mobile app
strategy will help CMOs and their teams reach their full
leadership and influencing potential -- a must for any
data-driven, digitally minded organization.

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