NEW YORK ? Marketers must carry over mobile achievements made in 2015?s first half, such as buy buttons on social media and strides in location-based targeting, according to attendees at Mobile Commerce Daily's Mobile Research Summit: Data & Insights 2015.

The influence that mobile has had on a majority of sectors, particularly retail, cannot be disputed. Nowadays, consumers have the ability to browse, research and purchase items based on location-based advertisements they are served, or via their social media networks, a strategy which will continue to gain traction as the year progresses.

"Mobile has made 2015 the year of blurred lines for retail,? said Marie Driscoll, consultant for FBIC Global Retail and Technology, New York. ?The consumer has always thought ?buy brand or retail.?

?Never ?buy channel,? she said. ?Retailers had officially divided their business into siloed channels of distribution points.

?This year, mobile is bringing it together.?

Buy buttons rising
When asked what she considered one of the biggest pieces of mobile marketing news of the past several months, Aileen Carolan, product manager at Experian Marketing Services, Costa Mesa, CA, tapped the buy button?s prevalence on social media applications and networks.

?Shopping on mobile is becoming increasingly popular,? she said.

Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Snapchat are generating widespread discussion regarding commerce in social media, as they introduce buy buttons and purchasing options for consumers to shop advertisers? merchandise (see story).

Google is also reportedly planning to add buy buttons to sponsored search results on smartphones, a move that could create a new mobile shopping experience while helping drive up cost-per-click rates (see story).

More and more retailers are making their Instagram accounts shoppable by teaming up with platforms such as Go2Buy or Like2Buy. Users can scroll through their feeds to view curated products and looks, and visit the brand?s profile to click a link that will enable them to purchase those same items on mobile.

Location-based focus
Attendees agreed that marketers should employ a continued focus on location-based targeting and advertisements in the second half of 2015.

?[2015 showcased] the value of location-based advertising,? said John Duncan, research manager at xAd, Inc., New York. ?I think the opportunity that exists there, and some of the improvements we?re seeing in location, is going to be big.?

As more retailers and restaurants roll out beacon technology, consumers will become more used to receiving targeted offers such as invitations to join loyalty programs, discounts and news about sales at nearby store locations.

Quick service restaurants, such as McDonald?s and Starbucks, are especially well-suited to sending these types of location-based messages to hungry consumers in the vicinity of their restaurants.

However, retail also has a leg up in this strategy. Brands can leverage mobile to essentially guide the consumer along the shopping journey in-store and online, with welcome messages, additional rewards points and special promotions.

?[Marketers should focus on] the consumer journey aspect and how mobile ties into that,? Mr. Duncan said. ?We?re talking about retail and their coverage on ecommerce.

?It would be helpful to understand the synergies in consumer shopping, both offline and online.?

Final Take
Alex Samuely is an editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York