More and more ad units promote mobile content and applications. And I get more and more frustrated as those units are not actionable.... it's a complicated task: 1. drive mobile activity from different web sources, including non-mobile traffic 2. promote mobile apps that are on different platforms... despite users coming from different sources / platforms
That experience often looks like this: a promotion by Gilt Groupe to download their mobile app(s):
That directs you to a landing page that is descriptive (and long-winded thanks to the numerous apps / platforms) but doesn't provide an easy way to download:
Again, I empathize with the almost necessarily clunky experience. But there must be more creative ways to solve.
For instance, here is a creative, effective solution by Groupon. Text a code and Groupon will determine your device's platform to deliver the right download experience. That isn't perfect, but the improved targeting eliminates a couple steps along the process.
I generally think this is the right approach: get users onto their mobile device so that you can provide more targeted / efficient next steps. You could take the Groupon example and make the ad more interactive such that users send mobile shortcodes from with the unit (via email address, etc).
Of course, the most direct path is to figure out promotional opportunities aimed specifically at users who are on mobile devices - within emails, on the mobile site, on other apps, etc. It's a markedly cleaner and more direct experience... and therefore conversions will be markedly better.
More examples of the clunky experience:
