Most people associate mobile as an end game for marketing, a medium to get new leads. But if mobile is the most personal medium ever created, then why aren't companies using it to brand?

In actuality brands are already using mobile to achieve awareness. One eMarketer study showed that last year 69 percent of branders increased their investment in mobile advertising tactics.

Creative best practices are emerging to ensure consistency in fonts, and continuity of brand presentation. Beyond presentation, there is plenty of mobile ad media, content and apps that can be deployed to achieve awareness, build reputation, and begin nurturing cycles.

Branded apps remain one of the best ways to build loyalty with customers. A company can offer useful services to customers, entertain them, and save them time with branded apps.

Branded apps can make a huge impact on the bottom line. According to one Harris study, almost 40% of customers report a stronger relationship with a retailers who offer apps. Shoppers are using the apps to save them time in-store and at home on the Internet.

The formula for successful application is to fulfill a customer need while achieving a business objective. Some more popular brand applications include Nike Fuel, the standard bank app, FedEx Office, Intuit, REI, MLB At Bat app, and TracKing by The North Face.

In addition to owned apps, brands are purchasing access to customers. Some brands are sponsoring apps, and achieving product placement within them. Others are running advertising campaigns on mobile networks with rich media, search and mobile content creators. In many ways, this is the easiest path for brands who don't have time or an application waiting to be developed.

Finally, streamlining social media to make it easily accessible on mobile makes for a better branded experience. That means going beyond deep content marketing to provide fun, short ways for folks to engage on their smartphones and tablets. Do everything you can to enable quick and easy submission of a comment, photo, or video on your networks and blogs.

Geoff Livingston is an author, public speaker and strategist who helps companies and nonprofits develop fantastic marketing programs. He runs Tenacity5 Media, which builds marketing strategies that satisfy stakeholders’ information needs and corporate objectives alike. A former journalist, Livingston continues to write, and has authored four books. Most recently he co-authored Marketing in the Round, and wrote the social media primer Welcome to the Fifth Estate.