First off, USSD stands for Unstructured Supplementary Service Data. It’s used by mobile phones, and the chances are you have used it many times before!
To put it into perspective, we’re sure you’ve dialed *100# before to top up airtime. That is a USSD! Those menus you can select with the numbers on your phone reside on the network, constantly available regardless of your airtime, data or internet connection.
This makes it a totally free service to access, and the next best part is that all responses on the USSD are recorded and stored, providing valuable insight into the behavior and wants of consumers.
Why it works for marketing
The above lends perfectly to marketing, and USSD has proven time and time again to be a useful mobile marketing tool for many. Working our way down, these are the benefits of using USSD for mobile marketing.
Users can use it anytime, anywhere.
The fact that anyone with a mobile phone can use it anytime, any place, is excellent for marketing. You won’t have to worry about not reaching your target audience, and people are more likely to engage since it’s free. You’ll never be hindered by data or internet connections.
It’s instantaneous, no waiting involved.
Unlike SMS services USSD is instantaneous, since it’s not being sent via the mobile network. Inputs go straight to the stored data, so users get a response immediately after inputting the necessary number or code. They can access the data whenever they need it, as many times as they like.
It’s easy to use and interactive.
Everyone knows how to use a USSD. Everyone is familiar with *100#, so it won’t be hard to get them to engage with your USSD. This means of mobile advertising or service providing is also highly convenient and engaging for your client base. They access it anytime in comfort, without having to go in store or talking to anyone.
You can keep track of and store client response data.
All inputs from clients or potential customers are stored on the USSD, allowing you to keep track of consumer habits, opinions, wants and behaviour. You can also store client data this way, and allows you to effectively target and cater your campaigns or serRob Macconachievices. This is all invaluable information for any business.
This is a brilliant system, and makes for a great means of providing mobile services to clients or advertising to them. And not only is it a great way to reach out to consumers, but it’s also perfect for gathering information.
At Channel Mobile we do all development, deployment, testing and reporting, and we’ll turn your campaign dream into a reality. From surveys to competitions, questionnaires to settings, we’ll set it up for you. Contact us to find out more.
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