Mobile marketing is simply selling on a mobile device (usually a mobile phone or tablet). Mobile marketing gives sellers the ability to reach customers through push notifications (for mobile apps and mobile web browsers) and in-app messages. With the growth of smartphone and tablet usage, marketing on mobile has become a necessity for essential to adapt and grow their efforts.

Many sellers may find themselves confused about the difference (if there’s any difference at all) between the terms “mobile marketing” and “mobile advertising,” and understandably so.

Brands use mobile advertising to send marketing messages to basically anyone using a mobile phone, but brands don’t have to have a mobile app to do so. Mobile ads are promoted on third-party apps and are used as an procurement strategy. For example, a seller who has a mobile site can target an ad to Android users in India, users the marketer may have no direct connection to. The ad—which could be a banner, native, or collective ad—would appear on an app that allows ads to display from an ad network (think Google Display ads on a web browser).

What’s not considered mobile advertising is sending marketing messages inside your own equity to users with whom you’re already connected. You’re essentially re-engaging the users you already have to create loyal client. All of this is done on your own app or site and through your own means, like your email marketing list. At Appboy, we like to call this mobile commitment, a way to build long-term relationships with your existing customers.

Mobile has opened up a new world of possibilities for consumers and sellers. What was once completely done on the web is now increasingly being done on mobile devices more than desktop because of convenience and immediacy. This consist of things like watching videos, listening to music, chatting with friends and family, reading news, browsing websites, sending emails, and other daily tasks.

For example, people are way more possibly to hail a taxi on-the-go than at home, which is why apps like Uber and Lyft are so popular. Apps like these make hailing transportation comfortable and quick. Gone are the days of waving your arms like a mad person or dialing a taxi from home that takes hours to appear

Time wasted in mobile apps has increased rapidly; however, people are still browsing mobile websites to look for answers. It would make sense to have an app if your product or service can be consumed via mobile devices and if you can provide enough services to increase customer engagement and loyalty.

On the other hand, you may not need an app if it wouldn’t offer enough value to your customers or if it would be too costly to develop and support. For example, if you sell cushion, your customers are more inclined to interact with your brand in-person or on the web to make an informed purchase. The costs of developing an app might outweigh the benefits, and customers wouldn’t be able to emplot with your brand in a way that’s useful.

If you decide to forgot a mobile app and focus on a mobile site, you have the option of building a responsive site or a mobile-focused site. A responsive site is a site that decrease and grows based on browser size. A mobile-focused site is a separate site that you create categorically for mobile devices.

All in all, evaluate what’s best for your business, but do remember that mobile is hot and it’s a medium that your customers apparently live and breathe.

There are cutting-edge companies who live and breathe mobile (think about your favorite music streaming app or on-demand service), there are companies who are starting to deal out into mobile, after years on desktop, and then there are large, risk reluctant brands who are behind on the mobile trend. The only thing that is certain is that everyone can take advantage of appealing with customers on mobile devices