How 5G Will Impact Customer Experience in Mobile Marketing

Last Updated: December 16, 2021

Telecom companies have started implementing 5G networks at select locations across the U.S. In this article, we discuss the baseline implications of 5G, its impact on mobile customer experience, and how brands can adapt to this paradigm shift.

5G (Fifth-generation wireless) network has already made its headway in the U.K., the U.S., and Australia and promises to revolutionize the mobile Customer Experience (CX).

To put things in perspective, 5G offers a download speed of 10 gigabytes per second, which is ten times faster than 4G. According to a survey by MATRIXX SoftwareOpens a new window , 87% of respondents plan to upgrade their phones to a 5G-powered device.

The average American spends over 3 hours on their smartphone every day. The adoption of 5G in marketing will cause a significant shift in consumer behavior and, to cater to these needs, marketers will have to identify effective ways to enhance mobile CX.

Here are five ways 5G will impact CX in mobile marketing.

1. Baseline Implications of 5G

Customers want faster, more personalized interactions with the brand, and 5G will enable organizations to deliver precisely that.

The adoption of 5G in marketing will lead to users relying more on their smartphone devices to avail the high-speed connectivity. For example, consumers might choose to watch OTT content on their smartphones. Ovum asserts this in their study and reportsOpens a new window , the average monthly use per user will grow from 11.7GB in 2019 to 84.4GB per month in 2028 out of which 90% of the usage will be accounted to video.

Users install adblockers to prevent ads from slowing down the mobile experience. As the 5G network promises higher speed, load time will reduce, leading to the decreased use of ad blockers.

Learn More: What is 5G and How will it Shift How People Consume (And Disperse) Information in 2019?Opens a new window

2. The Unification of Physical and Digital Journeys Will Facilitate Hyper-Personalization

Imagine walking into a store, and the salesperson already knows your shopping preferences. Using this information, the salesperson can create an exclusive shopping experience tailored for you.

This may seem like a pipedream now, but the implementation of 5G will soon make it feasible.

Edge computing processes data collected through the Internet of Things (IoT) devices before sending it to the cloud. Faster data processing will allow marketers to deliver real-time, hyper-personalized customer experiences.

Similarly, edge computing combined with 5G will also solidify location-based marketing. For example, when a user is near a supermarket, they’ll be notified about the latest offers through push notifications. The real-time insights and behavior will further enable mobile marketers to craft a hyper-personalized shopping experience.

3. Mobile Experience Will Become More Interactive and Immersive

Way before Pokemon GO! turned into a frenzy, Yelp had introduced a feature called MonocleOpens a new window in 2009. The AR-powered feature allowed Yelp users to view businesses in the vicinity by pointing their mobile camera at their surroundings.

Augmented reality requires a high-bandwidth and low-latency network to enjoy an optimum experience. A slight lag in the streaming disrupts the experience, and perhaps this is the reason for AR not living up to its hype.

As of now, top brands such as Amazon or IKEA offer AR services to their customers, but even they have several device restrictions. With the introduction of the 5G network, brands will now have an immense opportunity to enhance CX by making the immersive experience a permanent part of mobile marketingOpens a new window . By making the shopping experience more interactive and immersive, AR will become a norm rather than a novelty.

Learn More: 7 Ways 5G Will Help Advertising Evolve in 2019Opens a new window

4. Context and Accessibility Will Be More Crucial Than Ever

The onset of 5G in marketing requires brands and marketers to rethink the context of mobile marketing. The user journey needs to be refreshed by taking into account your ideal buyers, their smartphone habits and tech proficiency.

While we’re on the subject of tech proficiency, it’s necessary to revisit the accessibility of your mobile experience as well. The mobile CX is as good as the accessibility of your mobile app or other mobile interfaces. The goal of accessibility is to guide them through their buying journey. Make sure it serves that purpose.

5. Screenless Search Will Dominate

Conversational AI and voice search have seen unprecedented growth in recent times, and they will continue to grow as digital assistantsOpens a new window become even more common. Right now, voice search is largely used for on the go purposes such as micro-moments, but its utility will be explored in other areas as the 5G network gains more acceptance. Therefore, the key point for brands to note is to create content that is conversational yet lets the brand voice shine.

Learn More: 3 Examples of IoT Marketing Strategies You Can Implement in 2019Opens a new window

Preparing for 5G: Use the Trial and Error Method

The 5G network is still in its nascent stages, and it could take a few years to reach the majority of the population. Do not rush into things, instead utilize this time to start evaluating the current mobile CX, find possible loopholes, and identify potential opportunities. Rather than introducing changes at scale, brands could experiment to see what works best for them depending on industry and business size.

What promising changes do you see with 5G in mobile marketing? Let us know your thoughts and predictions on LinkedInOpens a new window , FacebookOpens a new window , or TwitterOpens a new window .

Indrajeet Deshpande
Indrajeet Deshpande

Contributor, Ziff Davis B2B

Indrajeet is a Marketing professional with 6+ years of experience in managing different facets of Digital Marketing. After working with SpiderG - a Pune based SaaS startup, he is now ready to work as a freelance marketer with different SaaS startups helping them with marketing strategy, plan and execution. His love for old-school hard rock and metal music culminated in taking up guitar and starting www.guitargabble.com. He’s studying Stoic philosophy, experimenting with productive habits and documenting the progress. Get in touch if you’re keen to know how you can implement pro-wrestling tactics in your marketing, community building and storytelling.
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