Mobile Marketing: The Ultimate Guide to Boosting Your Strategy in 2026 (and Why SMS Still Reigns Supreme)

Your phone is the first screen you check in the morning and the last one you put down at night. What if we told you it’s also the most powerful channel for reaching your customers?

In 2026, mobile marketing is an absolute necessity. 65% of purchases are now made on smartphones (Toluna study for FEVAD, January 2025). Smartphones are the most widely owned device, with 91% of the population owning one, and 56% of 18-24 year olds spend more than two hours a day scrolling — precious time that brands can no longer afford to ignore (2025 Digital Barometer, Crédoc).

Despite these figures, many businesses still underestimate the potential of mobile, especially SMS marketing — a direct, personal and incredibly effective channel. 95% of SMS messages are read within 4 minutes, an engagement rate unmatched by emails or social media.

In this guide, we’ll explain why and how to integrate mobile marketing into your strategy, with practical advice, case studies and a focus on SMS, our area of expertise.

Table of Contents
What is mobile marketing?
Why is m-marketing so effective?
How to leverage the different types of mobile marketing?
How to build an effective mobile strategy?
FAQ on mobile marketing

What is mobile marketing?

Mobile marketing encompasses all marketing techniques targeted at users of smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices. Unlike traditional marketing, it leverages the mobility and immediacy of users to deliver relevant messages at the right time and on the right medium.

The main mobile marketing channels

M-marketing isn’t limited to SMS campaigns (even though we love them) or apps. Here are the main channels to master:

Why is m-marketing so effective?

Mobile: consumers’ primary screen in 2026

One key statistic: in 2025, 50% of French internet traffic (62% in January 2025, declining throughout the year) came from smartphones (StatCounter).

Source: StatCounter Global Stats – Platform Comparison Market Share

According to Médiamétrie’s 2025 Internet Year report, French people spend an average of 3 hours per day on their phones, a figure that rises to over 4h53 for 15-24 year olds. This trend reflects a reality: mobile has become the primary screen, ahead of computers and television.

91% of French people own a smartphone, and 80% of time spent on the internet in France is via a mobile device. In other words, if your marketing strategy ignores mobile, you’re missing a major opportunity to reach your audience where they actually are.

SMS: an unmatched engagement channel

Among mobile marketing tools, SMS stands out for its exceptional performance. 95% of SMS messages are opened, typically within 3 minutes of receipt. By comparison, the average email open rate stands at just 18% in 2025. But there’s more: 45% of recipients engage with a marketing SMS, compared to just 6% for emails (Brevo Marketing Benchmark 2025).

These figures are explained by the very nature of SMS: a short, direct message that requires neither an internet connection nor a specific app, unlike messaging apps such as WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger.

The effectiveness of SMS also stems from its ability to drive immediate action. Whether it’s following up on an abandoned cart, confirming an order or sending a personalized offer, SMS allows you to reach your customer in under 90 seconds on average. This responsiveness is what makes it a key tool for brands looking to maximize their return on investment.

? Worried about getting it wrong with your first SMS campaign? We’ve got you covered. Download our free Notion checklist for creating a high-performing SMS campaign, and launch with complete confidence!

M-commerce: a growing driver of business growth

Smartphones have established themselves as one of the main purchasing channels in France, with 65% of transactions started or completed on a mobile device. The most commonly purchased product categories via phone include fashion, tech, beauty and food. Consumers also expect intuitive, fast interfaces with streamlined payment options (Google Wallet, Apple Pay, Buy Now Pay Later, etc.). Real-time delivery tracking has become the norm.

The impact of push notifications and social media

Beyond SMS, other mobile channels offer great opportunities. Push notifications, for example, generate an average click-through rate of 7.8%. They allow brands to reach users directly on their home screen with personalized messages at exactly the right moment. 70% of users find push notifications extremely useful. That said, subscription rates are far higher for SMS than for push notifications (ranging from just 0.5% to 15% depending on the industry and device, according to servicesmobiles.fr).

Meanwhile, social media plays a key role in the purchasing journey: 75.7% of French people browse social platforms daily via their smartphones, making them fertile ground for social commerce (Digital Report France 2025). While Facebook remains the leader, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok are showing strong growth. WhatsApp is also increasingly being used by brands. On average, French users are active on 5.8 social networks each month. Businesses have largely taken note, with social media advertising spend reaching $3.36 billion in France — a 12% increase compared to 2024!

How to leverage the different types of mobile marketing?

SMS marketing campaigns

SMS remains one of the most powerful channels in mobile marketing, particularly thanks to its 95% open rate and its ability to drive immediate action. Unlike other channels, SMS requires neither an internet connection nor a dedicated app, making it a universal tool accessible to everyone.

Brands primarily use it to follow up on abandoned carts, send order confirmations, or promote commercial offers. Use our SMS marketing calendar to communicate around every key date!

To maximize their impact, you absolutely must personalize your messages (using the customer’s first name or purchase history) and send them at the right time (prioritizing lunch breaks or end-of-day slots). Rich SMS (with clickable links or images), RCS messages (for interactive communication) and automated SMS (such as appointment reminders or delivery notifications) further enhance the effectiveness of this channel.

Mobile apps and push notifications

Mobile apps offer the opportunity to build a lasting relationship with customers. In 2024, 78% of French people used shopping or service apps, with 40% doing so every day (Arcep). The second most downloaded mobile app in France at the end of 2024 was Temu (Digital Report France 2025). Push notifications play a central role in this dynamic: they allow brands to reach users directly on their home screen with short, impactful messages.

The best-performing brands use push notifications to announce limited-time promotions, remind users of abandoned carts, or send personalized recommendations. To avoid user fatigue, be careful to limit frequency (2 to 3 notifications per week maximum) and to segment your audiences based on their purchasing behavior.

Mobile-first email marketing

Although email is an older channel, it remains relevant in a mobile strategy, provided it’s optimized for smartphones. In 2025, 71.5% of emails are opened on mobile (2024 Email Engagement Study, Mailjet). Yet many brands still neglect to adapt their campaigns to this format, resulting in low click-through rates and a poor user experience.

To succeed, you need to simplify the design (readable fonts, finger-friendly clickable buttons), shorten subject lines (fewer than 50 characters to avoid cut-offs), and place the call-to-action at the top of the email. The best-performing mobile emails are those that combine short text, striking visuals and a single clear objective (e.g. “Get 20% off today”).

Social media

Social networks are a cornerstone of mobile marketing, with 75.7% of French people browsing them daily via their smartphones (Digital Report France 2025). Platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube offer ideal formats for capturing attention: stories, shorts, reels, and targeted ads allow brands to reach consumers in a visual and interactive way.

Brands that succeed on social media focus on authentic, short-form content (videos under 30 seconds, eye-catching visuals) and targeted campaigns (e.g. retargeting). The trick? Include a direct link in stories and use clear calls-to-action (“Swipe up to discover the offer”).

How to build an effective mobile strategy?

1. Identify your audience and define clear objectives

A good mobile strategy starts with a deep understanding of your audience. Who are your customers? What are their behaviors, expectations and purchasing habits? The best-performing brands use behavioral data (purchase history, time spent on the site, interactions with previous campaigns) to segment their audience and tailor their messages accordingly.

To target effectively, ask yourself these questions:

• Which mobile channels does your audience prefer? (SMS, social media, apps, emails)
• When are they most engaged? (in the morning, during lunch breaks, in the evening)
• What types of messages prompt them to take action? (promotions, reminders, educational content)

Once you’ve identified your audience, set SMART objectives (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound). For example:

• Increase the mobile conversion rate by 20% in 6 months.
• Reduce cart abandonment by 15% through SMS retargeting campaigns.
• Boost social media engagement by 30% through targeted stories and reels.

2. Choose the right channels and combine them intelligently

Not all mobile channels are created equal. Their effectiveness depends on your industry, your audience and your objectives. Here’s how to choose and combine them:

• SMS is ideal for urgent or transactional messages (order confirmations, cart follow-ups, promotions). Its 95% open rate makes it an essential tool for campaigns.
• Apps and push notifications are perfect for retaining existing customers. They allow you to send personalized real-time messages, such as sale reminders or product recommendations.
• Responsive emails remain effective for longer content (newsletters, buying guides, storytelling). Make sure they display perfectly on all screens.
• Social media is essential for reaching a young, engaged audience. Short formats (reels, stories) and targeted ads perform particularly well.

An omnichannel approach is the key to maximizing your impact. For example, a mobile campaign might start with an informational email, followed by an SMS follow-up, and end with a push notification to encourage the purchase.

3. Personalize and automate for greater efficiency

Consumers expect messages that are relevant and tailored to their needs. To achieve this:

• Use customer data (purchase history, location, on-site behavior) to segment your audience and adapt your messages.
• Personalize your communications with the customer’s first name, recommendations based on their previous purchases, or geo-targeted offers.
• Automate campaigns to send the right message at the right time. For example, an SMS follow-up can be triggered automatically 1 hour after a cart is abandoned, followed by a push notification 24 hours later.

With SMS Partner, you can automate certain SMS sends or connect your account to automation tools: Make, Zapier, a CRM like Hubspot or a CMS like Shopify.

4. Measure, analyze and continuously optimize

A mobile strategy doesn’t end when campaigns are launched. To ensure its effectiveness, measure your results and adjust your actions based on the data.

KPIs to track:

• Open rate (SMS, emails, push notifications).
• Click-through rate (links clicked within messages).
• Conversion rate (number of purchases generated by a campaign).
• ROI by channel (return on investment for each campaign type).
• Unsubscribe rate (to assess the relevance of your messages).

Tools for analysis:

• Google Analytics to track traffic and conversions.
• SMS Partner to measure the effectiveness of SMS sends.

Continuous optimization:

• Test different versions of your messages (A/B testing) to identify what works best.
• Adjust sending times based on when your audience is most active.
• Drop underperforming channels and focus on those generating the most results.