6 Mobile Commerce and Strategy Insights: E-commerce Link Digest

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Happy Friday, Big Thinkers. Hope you don’t mind if we skip the setup this week and instead get you straight into the set of 6 mobile commerce and strategy insights to kick off the weekend. Enjoy:

1. Leading off, we’ve got a whole bunch of mobile payments news. First up, Business Insider says that Starbucks is trying to create its own digital currency to keep customers coming back. Loyalty programs may play a huge role in driving digital currencies, so I’d recommend you watch what Starbucks does here closely.
2. On a highly related note, eMarketer has data that shows mobile bill pay continues to climb among consumers. One thing to keep in mind when we talk about mobile, including the mobile web, apps, payments, messaging, what-have-you — is that we’re still in the early days. Consumer behavior will change a fair bit over the coming year. And then it will change more next year. The key is to stay nimble and watch where things are headed. But all of these underscore why mobile payments will rule. It may just take a little bit longer.
3. Speaking of messaging, Mobile Marketer’s week in review reports that messaging is resurging. For instance, Mobile Commerce Daily notes that Taco Bell has introduced mobile ordering with chatbot commerce on Slack. This is a huge deal, and, combined with the payments insights offered earlier, helps explain why I’m bullish on mobile payments and messaging.
4. Sticking with mobile for a moment, a recent Mobile Commerce Daily post explores research from Forrester outlining why mobile is still not fully integrated in marketers’ approach. That reality baffles me, especially when you consider that mobile won’t just change marketing; mobile will change the world.
5. Switching gears, Chief Marketer looks at how a CMO can Rise to CEO. The companies succeeding with mobile — like Starbucks and Taco Bell above — are focusing on what their customers need, then using mobile to help deliver that. They’re not saying “We should build an app!” or “What do our competitors’ apps do?” They’re instead showing that it’s not “mobile first.” it’s “customer first.”
6. Wrapping this all up for this week, it’s important to remember that there’s a clear connection between success no matter whether you’re looking for success in mobile, your app, your website, your business, or your career. And this recent post about the digital strategy myth can help you connect the dots. Be sure to check it out.

If you want learn even more about how your customers’ changing behavior shapes e-commerce and marketing, be sure and register to receive a special report I’ve produced in conjunction with hotel marketing firm Vizergy, “Digital Hotel Marketing in a Multiscreen World.” While it’s targeted specifically at hotel and resort marketers, the lessons apply to just about any business. You can get your free copy of the report here.

You can also check out these slides and video from my recent webinar, “Digital Marketing Directions: Three Key Trends Driving Your Marketing Next Year”: