While we all know the importance of mobile is increasing year after year as mobile screen time is soaring, most brands completely seem to forget the mobile aspect when creating campaign imagery. 

Isn’t it just a different format? Hell no! Let us explain why creating mobile-first creatives is of crucial importance for your campaign success and thus further business growth. 

First of all the mobile feed is different, people tend to scroll down their social feed, news websites and articles several times a day, looking for something to grab their attention. The mobile user gets a huge amount of content thrown at them in a single minute and they have to decide in a split second whether something is worth spending a little bit of their time on. You hear it coming, the mobile feed is fast, and as a brand, you need to instantly grab the users’ attention. Next to that most of the content is consumed sound-off. Hell yes, nothing so embarrassing as scrolling through your feed in a boring meeting and noticing your sound is still on. We’ve all been there, right? 

Secondly, we consume content way differently than for example on TV. TV commercials are consumed in a lean-back state-of-mind, we know we have to get through them to be able to watch the next part of the movie. While with mobile content, the user holds the power and is actively looking for content that interests him/her. This is what we call lean-in content. 

So what should brands keep in mind when creating for mobile-first? 

  • Frame for mobile feed
    Nothing more annoying than seeing square ads displayed in stories. Use the extra space you get on a mobile screen and try to create an impact! 
  • Design for sound-off
    Play with text and copy over your videos & creatives, so users instantly spot your key message. 
  • Try to create visual impact
    What catches the user’s attention? Something that pops off their screens! Look at bright colors instead of boring neutral tones, try to add a dynamic element to your creative, f.e. Gif. And thus make visuals that stand out from the crowd. 
  • Highlight your brand
    Try to create visuals that are consistent with your branding, so users can recognize you in the midst of all the clutter. Add your logo to build trust and recognition. 
  • Use a clear message and keep it simple.
    Try to focus on 1 main message you want to get across. 
  • Create action-oriented visuals
    Include a call to action on all visuals. If you want to convince the user in a split second to look at your new arrivals, well tell them to. 

If you apply these 6 principles consistently you’ll start thinking mobile-first and thus creating for mobile-first. 

Happy mobile-first creation! 

Looking for a partner to brainstorm further on elevating your creatives for mobile? We are just an email away! 

This post is also available in: Dutch