One of the more popular posts on the 60 Second Marketer is entitled Top 52 Social Media Platforms Every Marketer Should Know. It outlines all of the key social media platforms you can use to connect with prospects and customers.

With that in mind, we decided to create this post which outlines the top 50 mobile marketing tools and platforms businesses like yours are using to grow sales and revenues.

Each section is categorized into types of platforms in which include mobile ad networks, mobile marketing, location, and analytics technology. You’ll notice that some of the tools and platforms are multi-faceted. As such, they’ve ended up in more than one section.

Enjoy the list. More importantly — put it to use!

Mobile Ad Networks:

Mobile ad networks sell ads that can run on apps or on the mobile versions of websites like ESPN.com, CNN.com or NewYorkTimes.com. Some of the mobile ad networks listed below focus on SMS. Others focus on display. And others use a variety of tools and technologies.

If you’re looking for a single, up-to-date database with a lot of details about a wide variety of ad networks, check out this impressive resource created by our friends at Thalamus. It’s packed with in-depth information that’s perfect for media planners and buyers who need to make educated decisions about their upcoming mobile ad network buys.

For a more high-level summary of resources, check out our information below, which will provide you an overview on the best-known networks and mobile resources.

4INFO: These guys have a patented technology that lets you target prospects based on previous purchase data. It also allows marketers to track the results of their campaigns on an ROI basis. (Disclosure: I have consulted with 4INFO in the past.)

Airpush: This is a mobile ad network that has inventory on more than 150,000 apps and thousands of mobile websites.

AdMob: Owned by Google, AdMob is used and trusted by more app developers than any other ad platform worldwide.

Appodeal: This is a programmatic ad mediation solution for mobile app publishers. They increase revenue for publishers by engaging ad networks in real-time auction-based competition for every ad impression. 

Byyd: One of the more advanced mobile Demand-side Platforms on the market. Their technology enables advertisers to connect with precisely, programmatically targeted mobile audiences.

Chartboost: A platform that helps grow your business by increasing revenue and discovering new players for mobile games.

Appnext: This self-serve advertising platform can help maximize mobile revenue by promoting relevant apps.

unityAds: This platform specializes in engaging audiences with high-quality video ads.

Facebook Audience Network: The Audience Network enables Facebook campaigns to be expanded, giving marketers more scale into other mobile apps.

Tapjoy: New and increased revenue can be increased by non-spending audiences in this marketing automation platform.

iAd: Apple’s simplistic approach in advertising campaigns that give the user flexibility in choosing the price, audience, and ad format that works best.

InMobi: Backed by Soft Bank and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, InMobi is designed to let brands, developers, and publishers track global consumers through advertising.

Kiip: This app redefines the way consumers connect with brands through a customizable rewards program.

Flurry: This mobile marketing platform takes a consultative approach by tailoring each campaign in order to meet your marketing goals and objectives.

MobFox: Improve your app’s user experience by inserting high quality and fully customizable ads for mobile campaigns.

LeadBolt: This award winning platform specializes in the monetization of apps by choosing the placement and integrating promising formats into your campaigns.

mobileCore: This platform uses an extensive premium network that makes acquiring users who will be more inclined to download your app.

Millenialmedia: Whether you would like to monetize your app or advertise on mobile, this trusted platform has plenty of solutions to guide you there.

Mojiva: An advertising network geared more specifically for tablet devices that have an advertising serving platform (Mocean Mobile).

Opera Mediaworks: A mobile ad platform that is built for brands, possesses capabilities that can help you deliver rich, high quality experiences for your audience.

Revmob: A monetization and advertising solution platform for all apps using iOS, Android, and Amazon.

MobileStorm: Businesses use this app to build databases of customers that makes it easy to reach and keep in touch via email, text, push notifications, and messages.

Urban Airship: The American mobile company provides tools and services in mobile application development and application enhancement.

Tatango: A communication service that enables users to send messages to consumers via SMS and voice messaging.

Mobivity: With a SmartReceipt, business can triumph in connecting customers with digital marketing programs using SMS, digital surveys, or loyalty programs.

Velti: Velti is a very personal and effective mobile channel that can deliver messages and offers directly to the consumer.

Verve: Verve makes advertising for mobile networks easy by using a compelling data server that provides a look into the consumer’s real world path-to-purchase.

OpenMarket: This is a do-it-all platform that mobilizes your enterprise using multiple channels and SMS in order to reach customers.

ShopPad: This mobile solution can be used to benefit the shopping experience online by using a clean and simple interface.

Fyber: An open ad monetization platform specializes in growing your audience by app promotion and distribution.

Vibes: Vibes helps marketers increase revenue by using best-in-class tools and technology to help businesses grow.

Smaato: This real-time mobile platform enables publishers and developers to get the most out of programmatic advertising. Maximization of revenue is possible due to competition per impression and vast number of demand partners.

MoPub: Allows users to grow their mobile ad business and effectively manage and analyze their ad campaigns. MoPub has advanced budgeting and reporting features that help to make the best use of advertising.

StartApp: This platform offers interesting solutions like animated ad walls and interstitial ads aimed at driving better engagement and higher CTRs. Despite the focus on visual component, StartApp also offers smart targeting, so that you speak to the right audience.

Local Mobile:

The Local Mobile category includes GPS, geospatial and Location-based Services (LBS). LBS can be query-based, providing the user with useful information on the nearest destination or it can be push-based, delivering coupons and other marketing information relative to a specific geographical location.

deCarta: This technology is built to provide exceptional mapping, routing, geocoding, and local search for most applications.

Factual: This platform improves mobile location signals with factual global data while enabling a personal and relevant mobile experience.

Placecast: This is a DMP (Data Management Platform) that unlocks location data in order to create mobile ad audiences for more effective targeting.

Retailigence: This platform makes it easy for marketers to connect with audiences through display, mobile, social, and video.

PlaceIQ: Working with brands, agencies, and channel partners, PlaceIQ develops mobile audiences and analytics from location intelligence for your digital marketing needs.

LocAid: The largest location-as-a-service company uses core location technology that is used for indoor and outdoor use on any mobile device.

AirSage: AirSage uses signaling data from cellular networks in order to provide high speed travel times.

beintoo: The BeAudience Platform uses beacon, Wi-Fi, and GPS signals to create and find targetable audiences for mobile advertising and cross-channel marketing.

Skyhook: With clients such as Apple, Sony, and Mapquest, Skyhook uses user location data to bring important and relevant content.

Measurement/Analytics:

These are tools that help you measure, manage and analyze your marketing performance in order to increase and improve your ROI.

Google Analytics: This tool from Google allows you to improve your site, app, and marketing channel performance with specialized data reviewing features.

mixpanel: Considered the most advanced analytics platform in the world for mobile and web functions, Mixpanel answers any questions by reporting actions, not page views.

Flurry: With Flurry analytics, tracking your users and app performance can be understood by either using a basic or advanced set up.

webtrends: This program uses digital analytics to gain a real perspective on how your customers interact with your brand across different channels using a simple dashboard interface.

Upsight: This platform provides more than enough tools to identify your business KPIs, explore user data, and create personalized user experiences for app performance.

Apsalar: A mobile app attribution and data management platform that allows for measurement of marketing campaigns.

Appsee: Offering unique and powerful analytics, Appsee is a mobile platform that helps optimize the user experience and drive results.

Localytics: This tool tracks user acquisition campaigns with major ad networks such as Facebook.

Adobe Analytics: By applying real-time analytics and detailed segmentation, Adobe provides an easy-to-use approach in discovering high-value audiences.

Countly: This platform uses a clean, real-time dashboard that reports purchases right when they are made.

Amplitude: By discovering the user’s behavior and actions, this scalable analytics platform makes it easy to drive growth.

Tune: This platform measures each marketing channel and determines quickly which partners and channels are most valuable.

Admob: This mobile advertising company provides tools that are designed to help with app monetization, user analysis, and mediation.

AppsFlyer: Once AppsFlyer’s SDK is integrated, measuring campaigns in real-time is as simple as it is useful.

SMS:

Short message services, also most commonly known as “text messages” are sent through mobile devices and can consist of 160 characters. Today, almost all cell phones support SMS.

The following companies focus primarily on SMS.

SlickText: Messaging and marketing is done easy while increasing revenue and growing brand awareness.

Tatango: This app allows users to send messages to different groups of people through SMS and voice messaging.

CallFire: This cloud service provides tools to help grow businesses with virtual phone numbers.

Sumotext: This tool helps brands, agencies, and non-profits jump-start and continue conversations via SMS, MMS, Apple Passbook, and Google Wallet.

ProTexting: ProTexting boosts customer engagement and relationships by SMS, MMS, social channels, QR codes and more.

ez Texting: With Ez Texting, pictures, videos, and MMS are delivered easily.

SimpleTexting: This is a text marketing service that increases customer loyalty, demand, and connections to small communities.

Trumpia: This software provides internal communications and emergency alerts.

TXT180: This marketing solution is affordable and reliable when it comes to communicating via SMS.

Cellit Spark: This platform allows users to spread the word, drive sales, evaluate, and repeat.

TextMagic: This text messaging service allows users to send texts and emails to SMS and take the full control over their SMS marketing campaigns. It makes easy to import thousands of contacts, personalize messages and set the appropriate timing for sending them out.

Mozeo: With Mozeo text messaging campaigns can be tailored to various purposes from massive alert notifications to reminders to letting know your customers about special offers. Users can handle their SMS campaigns from simple dashboard.

This should give you a good idea of how you can excel your marketing using mobile. Are there any tools we missed? If so, be sure to share them in the comments section below.

 

 
About the Author: Jamie Turner is the CEO of the 60 Second Marketer and 60 Second Communications, a marketing communications agency that works with national and international brands. He is the co-author of “How to Make Money with Social Media” and “Go Mobile” and is a popular marketing speaker at events, trade shows and corporations around the globe.

60 Second Marketer