Last week we covered NFC and Beacon technology, so continuing on with the theme of mobile tech, this week we’ll take a look at mobile messaging. When it comes to the digital world, mobile offerings and strategies are everything these days as consumers are attached to their phones and expect instant gratification.
Delivering appropriate mobile messages to the mobile gamer will increase engagement and loyalty, but sending off the right message involves sharp technology and a lot of data. To find out how to do it right, I spoke with Troy Morris, Director of Strategic Services of OtherLevels, a company specializing in testing, optimising and analysing mobile messages.
Becky Liggero: Thank you for taking the time to talk with me today, Troy. We know delivering the right message at the right time to the right person is key- how does your technology ensure this happens?
Troy Morris: To begin, we gather data from the device and operating system layer, from user interactions within the app, and additional business intelligence (BI) data from our clients’ varied CRM systems.
We gather and manage all this disparate data and enable it to work in concert. Our clients can use dozens of data points to create segments, filters and messages to fit their constantly evolving needs and goals in a simple-to-use and intuitive interface.
And, of course, no matter how well designed at the outset, a marketer’s program must be tested and evaluated continually to be a success. Basic integration automatically supports Randomized Control Tests, which provide our marketers with strong tools to evaluate any and all hypotheses and campaigns, from A/B message copy tests to segmentation and targeting assessments
The best part is that all campaigns and messages are tied directly to in-app user behaviour. If testing ends when the messaging is opened, marketers are evaluating only the tip of the “mobile marketing iceberg” by missing out on the conversation and activity that follows.
BL: How can operators use their own data to help execute effective mobile messages and increase customer loyalty?
TM: The “always be testing” axiom is key to creating and maintaining effective mobile messaging. But sound mobile strategy has to go much deeper than testing for the sake of testing. Marketers must ensure they define the goals and metrics of evaluation before the design of the test.
Moreover, the value of any tests will be greatly improved by leveraging control groups as well. Having a baseline is an often overlooked-but-vital part of creating effective campaigns. If you can’t define what is effective, then results can be attributed to luck and happenstance. And you cannot measure that.
Understanding the data is also critical. Don’t fall victim to the siren call of “Big Data.” It’s all too easy to become paralysed by a huge sea of data points, events, segments and more.
OtherLevels’ advice: start small but with lots of data. Create large segments and basic events. Build a strong foundation, and then layer on more sophisticated strategies after evaluating and understanding the previous efforts.
By understanding data and regularly assessing results, marketers can make sure their communications strategy is aligned with users’ behaviours. For instance, it’s a widely held belief that sending more messages results in higher churn and lower engagement. However, a recent OtherLevels study showed the opposite: a dramatic increase in engagement with an increase in message frequency.
Data allows you to question assumptions. So ask away.
BL: Interesting and yes, its all about understanding data. What are some of your best tips on how to create enticing, personalised messages?
TM: This is a great question and the answer lies with the data. By using data from the device and OS, from the users’ actual behavior, and from additional CRM systems, marketers can create a really rich set of user profiles.
With those rich profiles, they can begin to understand how certain segments behave and engage with their brand and product(s). That understanding is fundamental to personalised and meaningful messaging. Why send a message about a new slot to a player who plays mostly table games? That’s a wasted opportunity.
Additionally, understanding your data can allow you to deliver contextual messages. If a set of players recently won a huge jackpot, they’re prime targets to hear about the newest slot to be released. This context is useful in making sure your message has value for the customer.
In general, the questions marketers have to ask about personalised messages are:
1)Why would the targeted consumer or audience care?
2)Does the message provide its target audience any value?
3)Is the message creepy? Does it go too far or feel intrusive?
That’s why I recommend using “generalized personalization,” which is based on larger segments. For example, if you’re a gambler with a balance of 252,354 coins, a message mentioning that exact amount might be viewed uncomfortably or as an invasion of privacy, while a message that mentions “over 250k!” is exciting and hits a perfect balance of generality and specificity. The recipient will embrace the value of being understood as an individual without being singled out.
BL: Great tips, thank you Troy. Is there anything else that you wanted to add today?
TM: With great power comes great responsibility. Tools and services, such as OtherLevels, rely on a lot of data to deliver a great experience, and they require a great deal of strategy and understanding. It’s easy to try to do too much when you have so much data available. But success is found through a series of deliberate examinations and choices. OtherLevels takes a lot of pride in our technology and in strategic client collaborations that deliver the best results – more engagement, more activity, more revenue, and deeper customer loyalty.
BL: Fantastic, thank you again for joining me today, its been a pleasure.
