The Home Depot mobile ads are running within Pandora’s iPhone application and drive traffic to the retailer’s mobile site. While the effort is a smart way to increase leads, Home Depot could have matched up the call-to-action with a related click-through.

“Marketers should explore avenues like ad placements in apps and mobile Web sites that fit their target demographic, SMS text marketing to direct a brands’ mobile subscribers to information on new products, custom created mobile content that provides a user with a mobile-optimized experience from click-throughs, well-thought out mobile touchpoints on any physical marketing materials for users,” said said Tim Canada, senior account manager at SiteMinis, Atlanta.

Mr. Canada is not affiliated with Home Depot. He commented based on his expertise on the subject.

Home Depot did not respond to press enquiries.

Mobile follow-through
The mobile ads read, “Doing made easier” and encourage consumers to click-through to download Home Depot’s mobile app.

Another set of creative prompts users to add stylish decorations to their homes by shopping on Home Depot’s mobile site.

However, both sets of creative lead users to sections of Home Depot’s mobile site that do not correlate to the call-to-action in the ad creative.

For example, the app call-to-action leads consumers to the product page on Home Depot’s mobile site that lists all the indoor lightning products. The other creative links users to the store and organization product page on the home improvement giant’s mobile site.

In both cases, consumers have to dig through the mobile site to find what was promoted in the mobile ad.

By making it difficult to find the right content, Home Depot could be missing out on a big opportunity to cement quick sales or drive app downloads.

Build on mobile
Home Depot continuously turns to mobile advertising and has used a variety of ad formats in the past.

Most recently, the brand ran a mobile advertising campaign to increase post-holiday sales (see story).

Additionally, the company recently worked with Google on mobile search campaigns that include call and location extensions. Home Depot also claims that its mobile conversions doubled from the first half of 2012 compared to the same time period in 2011 (see story).

“The user experience on the final destination is what will ultimately make or break the success of the mobile promotion campaign,” Mr. Canada said.

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is associate reporter on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York