Integrating mobile into marketing strategy becomes a must for brands in 2016. Only those that go the extra mile and serve their customers in their mobile moments to transform the entire customer experience will be able to differentiate via mobile. Mobile marketing leaders will start measuring the impact of mobile on offline channels and allocate up to 20% of their marketing budgets to mobile. This is according to Forrester’s 2016 mobile and app marketing trends report published today.

“Most brands will underinvest in mobile this year,” writes Forrester analyst Thomas Husson in his blog on the new research. “Too many marketers still have a narrow view of mobile as a ‘sub-digital’ medium and channel.” Forrester also expects:

  • Lines between mobile Web and apps will start blurring. Average smartphone users spend more than 88% of their time on just five downloaded apps, and in 2016, consumers will turn their attention especially to messaging apps that will progressively become application ecosystems on their own.
  • Mobile will enable brand innovation with artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and the Internet of Things, three key technologies that will go way beyond the mobile space. In 2016, smartphones will activate them and enable B2C marketers to innovate.

Visit the B2C Marketing blog to learn more about this report.