There are around 1.75 billion smartphone users worldwide.

Between now and 2017, mobile phone penetration will rise from 61.1% to 69.4% of the global population, according to an eMarketer report, “Worldwide Mobile Phone Users: H1 2014 Forecast and Comparative Estimates.”

So how do you market your business to this burgeoning mobile user base?

Here are one or two pointers before you start.

The biggest lesson to learn is to not treat the mobile channel as if it is just a smaller version of a fixed desktop display browsing channel.

Here’s why.

Mobile users have access anytime, anywhere to their phone and they are constantly checking for updates on social media, news etc. Always on the go, they get distracted easily and, as a general rule, they want instant gratification from their mobile experience.

So a simple, quick loading landing page or a website that is optimised for mobile devices is a must. If your site or page is slow to load, mobile users will go elsewhere.

If you’ve already got a website with “responsive design” you might think that you are sorted. But it doesn’t necessarily follow that this will work well on mobile. Yes, the user will be able to see your site or page but will the overall experience be one that is suited and optimised to the mobile user? Will your “responsive design” allow the mobile user an effortless sign-up process? Will it offer the mobile user a pleasurable visual experience?

In short, your mobile site layout must be very simple, clean and uncluttered with a clear call to action, ideally comprising a one step process. It must be easy to navigate and quick to load.

Advertising on mobile devices is also different to traditional online display advertising. For awareness-raising and branding advertising campaigns, consider using “in-app” advertising – or advertising contained within an app – as this is where mobile users spend most of their time. This in-app inventory has different specs to traditional online display units, so it is important to think about how to craft these smaller banners, video or rich media units so that they become effective on small screen mobile devices.

It is also important to understand the environment in which a mobile user sees your ad because this will affect how a mobile user digests your ad. As mentioned, most mobile ad networks weigh heavily on in-app ads, so it will be important to understand the app environment before your create your ads.

So if you’re thinking about advertising on mobile devices, do your homework before embarking on your campaign, as there is nothing worse than creating a negative experience of your brand in the eyes of your potential customers.

What do you think?