Mobile Ad Strategies

Source: Adotas

Driven by the overwhelming popularity, evangelism and impact of the iPhone on the mobile experience, the advertising industry has reached a turning point in 2008 – with all eyes on mobile, the opportunity is now to embrace the channel as a direct line into today’s consumer on their most personal of devices. 

With brands launching new WAP sites each day, so too comes the opportunity to advertise. However not all mobile content is created equal — what looks great on one device could look markedly different on another if these considerations aren’t engrained in the development process. Consumer experiences run the gamut, with the most consistently positive experience coming from iPhone users. In fact, AT&T mobility president and CEO Ralph de la Vega came out and called Apple’s iPhone “a game-changer” at Mobile World Congress a few weeks ago, noting that since AT&T exclusively launched the device in mid-2007, mobile data consumption has grown dramatically.

According to de la Vega, 95 percent of iPhone owners regularly surf the web on a mobile device, even though 30 percent had never done so prior to iPhone ownership. In addition, nine out of 10 rated the device better than their previous handset. Quattro Wireless has seen dramatic adoption rates as well. In fact, since the launch of the iPhone, we have seen a 323 percent increase in monthly iPhone page views on the Quattro Network from September 2007 to January 2008.

These stats are phenomenal compared to general mobile Internet usage on other mobile phones in the U.S. Clearly the iPhone audience is one that should be catered to, and savvy mobile content providers and advertisers are developing iPhone-specific websites and advertisements for this built-in fan club to optimize the consumer experience and produce the greatest advertising results. In fact, there are whole companies cropping up with dedicated mobile advertising units designed just for the iPhone.

iPhone sites without adaptation can be hard to browse, despite the device’s high end browser capabilities. iPhone-adapted mobile websites such as CollegeHumor.com or Linked-in provide a better browsing experience with an optimal layout, more intuitive navigation, better display of mobile ads and a complete array of content choices for the growing iPhone audience. They also use less bandwidth, ensuring more reliable service. 

Additionally, the iPhone has a readily profiled user base, thanks to its exclusive agreement with AT&T. In fact, ad networks - including Quattro Wireless - are seeing an increasing interest in ad buys that target high end handsets, and in some cases they are specifically looking for iPhone users. With all eyes on the iPhone, it is important to ensure that mobile websites designed for the iPhone include the ability to track user behavior, which in turn drives targeted premium content from the ad network. In general, an iPhone site should have the following attributes:

Easy to navigate with one finger/thumb. Content should be displayed to avoid pinching and horizontal scrolling for content.

Ads should appear targeted for the iPhone to ensure maximum impact.  On a non-iPhone adapted site, ads designed for the PC/online experience will show up, but will not be targeted for the mobile environment. Ads placed on an iPhone specific site will ensure ideal placement and maximum click-throughs.

Zoom capabilities to highlight the iPhone’s superior image display.

A custom iPhone site that has embraced the above criteria is sure to elicit a warm reception from iPhone users, who have come to expect an elite experience on their specialized device.  And associated advertisers will reap the benefits of brand affinity for properly entertaining and informing site visitors on this exclusive device.

Mobile Marketing Tips from Google Director

New Zealand Herald: Diana Pouliot, Google’s director of mobile advertising for North America, was in New Zealand for a conference where she provided some insight and tips on mobile marketing.

What have you been doing in New Zealand?

I’m participating in a conference being held by The Hyperfactory. It has pulled together agencies, marketers and people from the industry to share best practices on mobile marketing and advertising, and the industry in general.

What kind of potential is there for marketing on mobiles, and do users like it?

The potential is huge and global. We see it as a big opportunity, although we understand that right now it’s in its infancy. People are experimenting and finding out what is working for them. I think people need to be thoughtful in the way they approach marketing on a mobile phone. From some of our early experiments with advertising based on text and search, we have found it has been accepted by the consumer. We know because they are clicking on the ads.

Is this type of marketing better targeted and more sophisticated than others?

You are targeting a person at the moment of relevance or transaction. In some of the good case studies we see people using “click-to-call” phone numbers. They can look for something on their mobile phone, then dial directly from the ad. Our technology also means you can call through to that person. This has been great for local businesses. We see good results when people are optimising websites for mobile phones. People need to experiment and figure out what’s best for their business and marketing needs.

Is it ensuring that an online presence is taking the new technology into account?

It’s about a couple of things. You have to assess how it integrates with a mobile marketing strategy. There are a lot of ways you can do that - there’s a host of mobile advertising opportunities. Mobile advertising can be that link in the “engagement factor”.

Is it a chicken-egg situation where the development of handsets and better phones gives opportunities to marketers, or is it them pushing the technology?

In the US, the iPhone is leading the way when it comes to people accessing the mobile web. We’ve seen tremendous spikes in traffic to our search engine based on people coming in from iPhones.

Are people looking for different things when they access the internet from a phone?

It mirrors the internet a lot. People are averaging two-and-a-half key words when they search, everything from tomatoes to Porsches. One of the misnomers is people are only searching on their phones for mobile content. That is a big category but they are searching for everything else as well. This is why marketers and advertisers need to look at this as a viable way of reaching different consumers and their target audience.

With all the different types of phones, is it difficult to get a common standard?

It can be challenging for the phone people and marketers. Marketers and advertisers who have to develop campaigns have to deal with a lot of operating systems and handsets to ensure the work. It is fragmented but it is one of the challenges and why you have to understand the different options.

Is the convergence everyone talks about going to happen first on phones rather than in the home?

It’s happening in places such as India and China. People there are using their phones as their “first screen” [after TVs and computers], whereas in developed countries it is the “third screen”. They watch TV and do all of their communication on mobiles.

Top Mobile Marketing Tips from 2007

Search Mobile Computing compiled a list of some of their top mobile tips from 2007.  If you’re thinking of adding a mobile strategy to your online campaign then I certainly recommend checking these out:

Using 3G phones for laptop Internet
By Lisa Phifer
Most workers who choose 3G wireless will either buy a new laptop with embedded 3G or add a new 3G card to an existing laptop. But don’t overlook a third option that just might prove less expensive: using a 3G phone for laptop Internet access. Learn benefits and drawbacks, as well as how to configure tethering between your 3G and laptop, in this tip.

iPhone in the enterprise: Can it replace a BlackBerry?
By Rik Ahlberg
How will the iPhone fit in the enterprise? We challenged our expert to put the iPhone through a series of tests to see how well it integrates, whether it’s manageable, and whether its email, calendar and contact features can replace a BlackBerry.

Windows Mobile emulator for device testing
By Brien M. Posey
A Windows Mobile emulator can simplify mobile device testing without costing a lot of money. Whether you are attempting to develop a new mobile application, test a mobile networking configuration, or experiment with mobile device security, testing with mobile devices tends to be a pricey endeavor. There are not only the costs associated with purchasing the necessary mobile devices but also the cost of the air time used during the tests. Learn how to install and deploy the emulator in this tip.

Planning your mobile strategy
By Jack Gold
Most companies have substantially increased their mobile workforce over the past year or two as mobile technology has become less costly and more capable but do you have a strategy in place for a successful deployment or workforce expansion? In this executive overview Jack Gold offers you advice for creating a mobile strategy committee and conducting a strategy workshop to help you achieve a successful mobile deployment. Find out how this approach can benefit your organization today.

Mobile device management — Practical techniques
By Craig Mathias
A well-thought-out mobile device management strategy is often the key to the success or failure not just of a given mobile deployment but of an IT department overall. In this tip, Craig Mathias provides a checklist of key elements for your mobile device management strategy.

Mobile devices: Corporate security strategies
By Lisa Phifer
According to analysts, companies grappling with mobile/wireless security are expected to take a hit from improper use and mobile malware attacks resulting in real business interruption. Fortunately, most of these exploits will take advantage of vulnerabilities that are identifiable and resolvable. In this tip, examine business strategies for securing mobile wireless devices.

Policies for mobile computing
By Craig Mathias
Mobile computing policies are critical to maintaining the integrity of your organization. While there are several variables in what constitutes a mobile policy, the advice in this column will help you define your needs and understand the core requirements every organization should have in place, regardless of your mobile penetration.

Mobile data services — A checklist of considerations
By Paul DeBeasi
Analyzing and selecting a mobile data service can be a daunting task. This tip provides a checklist of the major factors to consider when evaluating mobile data services (GSM, CDMA and WiMAX).

Mobile management - An insightful eight part series
By Daniel Taylor
Corporate mobile management is necessary for turning a mobile device deployment into a successful enterprise resource. In this tip, Dan Taylor lays the groundwork for his latest series, which helps mobile decision makers to understand key issues for mobile and device management and assists in resolving challenges in mobile management.

Mobile security: Top oversights
By Kevin Beaver
Mobile security oversights caused by workers and building visitors can keep the network at risk even after other security measures are in place.

Mobile Local Search: Moving Away from Early Adopters

We all know that Mobile Search is the next big thing.  Frankly I’m surprised that it’s not bigger than it is right now.  New devices and apps are starting to bring mobile local search beyond just an early adopter medium.  Mobile Search is starting to catch on in North America…. you might want to hold on, because it’s going to be a wild ride.

Michael Boland at Search Engine Watch  has posted a great piece on Mobile Local Search where he comments that, “The next 36 months will be mobile local search’s turn to shine.”  We think that is is 100% accurate with this statement.  With all due respect, we thought that Michael’s article was tremendous and as a result have posted it below in it’s entirety:

Mobile Local Search: A Perfect Storm 

By Michael Boland, Search Engine Watch, Jan 25, 2008The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) showcased the first few devices that run Google’s much anticipated Android operating system.

Among the prototypes exhibited was the GW4 from Chinese mobile company Winstron, which has a 2.5-inch touch screen, WiFi capability, a 2MP camera, full QWERTY keyboard, Internet browser, weather, e-mail client, and MP3 player.

Inflection Point of Mobile Local Search

These are the first physical signs of what will be a major inflection point in the history of mobile devices and mobile local search. To be fair, the iPhone played a large part in this inflection point and laid the groundwork for it to happen.

Specifically, Android and the iPhone will erode the carrier control that has stifled innovation in the mobile world thus far. Until now, any incentive to innovate mobile applications was killed by the requirement to pass through the filter of each individual carrier for various model phones and operating systems. Telephone companies proved not to be the best arbiters of product innovation (duh).

So what’s different now? The adoption of open and standardized platforms (both Android and the iPhone’s SDK to be released next month) will open the floodgates of innovation and make it easy for third-party application developers to bring their apps to market.

The splash made by the iPhone, combined with the cache of Apple and Google, has caused carriers to play ball. Apple bagged AT&T, the largest U.S. mobile phone carrier for the iPhone; Google’s open handset alliance (announced in tandem with Android) contains 30 members including carriers (Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile) device makers (Motorola, Samsung), online companies (eBay), and chip makers (Intel).

Upward Mobility

The level of open and decentralized innovation that Android will enable is similar to that we’ve seen flourish on the Web. There’s a great deal in store for mobile search and entertainment apps. Local search and mobile search, a hand in hand relationship, will be one of the biggest beneficiaries of this new mobile environment.

Software and operating systems aside, we’re also reaching new standards in hardware as the bar has been significantly raised by the iPhone. Given new hardware paradigms such as touch screens, new applications are possible, such as advanced mapping and Web browsing. Give it time for new hardware standards to inspire even more software interfaces and functionality that we haven’t thought of yet.

Local Mobile Search: Beyond Early Adopters

More importantly, the iPhone’s splash will make these devices and apps reach the mainstream and bring mobile local search beyond an early adopter medium, where it’s teetered for years. Larger screens, touch screen functionality, and the ability to view Web pages in their full (non-WAP) HTML versions, is creating a level of appeal we’ve never seen before in mobile devices.

This is a level that will be great enough to convert the masses to mobile search, compared to today’s inferior standards (WAP browsers, small screens, small keypads) that have only been able to attract a relatively meager set of early adopters. This mass appeal will also accelerate as prices come down and copycat devices enter the market to compete on price. We’ve already seen an iPhone clone from Verizon.

This perfect storm of factors has finally happened and will bring the mobile search world where it needs to be. There’s no going back. Rising usability standards and corresponding usage growth are the first steps that we’re seeing now.

More substantial monetization strategies are less clear, but they’ll follow. The Kelsey Group’s U.S. mobile forecast calls for mobile ad revenues (consisting of Ad-Sponsored Voice Services, Mobile Search and Browse and Multi-Modal Applications) to grow from $33.7 million to $1.42 billion by 2011, a 116 percent compound annual growth rate.

Think of it this way: The mobile local search industry at this moment is where the online local search industry was circa 2004. Since then we’ve seen a great deal of attention and investment (and some hot air), devoted to local search.

The next 36 months will be mobile local search’s turn to shine.

Mobile Marketing Conferences: The Mobile Marketing Forum

Looking to attend conferences on mobile marketing? Earlier this month, the Mobile Marketing Association held it’s Mobile Marketing Forum in Hong Kong on December 6, 2007. The next conference is slated for April of 2008 to be held in London.

Are you looking to add mobile to your current campaigns? Are you involved with mobile and want to add new technologies and initiatives? Regardless of your current level of activity or knowledge in mobile marketing, the Mobile Marketing Association’s (MMA) MOBILE MARKETING FORUM is the premiere event to attend this year.
Do not miss this opportunity. Questions to be answered include:

• What is mobile marketing?
• How do I start a mobile campaign?
• How do I measure success?
• What are the high growth segments and where should I be focusing my dollars?
• What are the new emerging trends?

The adoption of the mobile channel is skyrocketing. Be a part of it!

Join the industry’s leaders and experts discuss successes, what’s coming, what’s up next, what’s hot and how mobile will benefit your marketing initiatives and campaigns.

The Mobile Marketing Forum is simply a must attend event. For more information, visit:
http://www.mobilemarketingforum.com

2007 Global Mobile Communication Trends

There are a number of reports that you can obtain on World Wide Internet Usage data. For example, if you wanted to examine trends in the mobile market, you can order the 2007 Global Mobile Communication - Statistics, Trends and Forecasts report.

The 164 page report offers a wealth of information on the worldwide mobile communications industry and includes some interesting facts. The report also contains some information on regional mobile markets as well. The report includes items such as:

• Mobile infrastructure and developments;
• Mobile revenue;
• Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) and call charges;
• Mobile subscriber statistics including prepaid;
• Termination rates, roaming and Mobile Number Portability (MNP);
• Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO);
• Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC);
• Bluetooth & Ultra Wide-band (UWB);
• Mobile spectrum;
• Mobile Satellite Services (MSS);
• Regional overviews

The next publication date is scheduled for February 2008. Reports can be found here.

Resources for Mobile Marketing Strategy

Mobile marketing strategies and mobile search optimization are terms we’re going to hear a lot about in 2008 (and years after). With over 2 billion people equipped with mobile devices on the planet it will be natural for online marketing to shift from computers to mobile. Countries such as Japan already have a strong mobile marketing presence and North America will soon follow suit. Below are some excellent resources to help you get started on your mobile marketing campaign in 2008:

• Mobile Marketing Watch: http://www.mobilemarketingwatch.com/
• Clickz: Experts - Mobile Marketing
• Clickz: Mobile Advertising: Off-the-Shelf or Custom?
• Clickz: The ABCs of Mobile Marketing, Part 2
• Data Comm Research: Mobile Marketing Guide
• AeroDeon: How to Develop a Mobile Marketing Strategy
• Marketing Experiments Blog: Mobile marketing strategy in 2008: The race for tiny space
• MarketingSherpa: Mobile Social Networking: 8 Strategies for B-to-B Marketers
• Bharat Book Bureau: Global Mobile Prepaid Strategies and Forecasts - 7th Edition
• Blog Nation: Winksite - Still Fresh and Best Bet For A Mobile Strategy
• Aim Clear: Mobile Search Optimization Essentials
• Search Engine Guide: Mobile Search Site Creation and Optimization: Part 1 of 2
• Search Engine Guide: Mobile Search Site Creation and Optimization: Part 2 of 2
• Search Engine Watch: Meet the Mobile Search Engines
• ZDNet: Best Practices for a Comprehensive, Secure Mobile Commerce Strategy
• Mobile Marketing Forum: Mobile Marketing Conference
• 10 Golden Rules Blog: Mobile Marketing: Hot Internet Marketing Trend for 2008
• SMX Local & Mobile: Denver, October, 2008
• All About Mobile Life: http://mobile.kaywa.com/
• Mobile Marketing: Achieving Competitive Advantage Through Wireless Technology