What are some of the innovations that are happening in
the mobile marketing space, vis-Ã -vis content and technology?
Mobile is opening up in a variety of ways, with trends such as mobile
Internet presence and interaction, downloadable applications, and customer
service applications developing as the key areas to watch out for. The
combination of flat rate data packages, Wi-Fi, and application stores is
creating new opportunities for customers to interact with the mobile Internet.
The take-up of 3G services and vastly improved device
interfaces are improving the user experience for millions of mobile subscribers,
as access becomes smooth and instant. We have reached the point where the PC
experience is mirrored on mobile phone. It is natural that the next phase of
mobile is all about content, rich media, and convenience of converged services.
It is the convergence of music, games, and mobile Internet that is attracting
brands to mobile as a marketing platform.
Where do you see the next wave of growth?
Functionality and affordability are the two leading factors driving mobile
adoption in Asia. China, India, and Indonesia are the top three markets offering
the most affordable handsets in Asia.
The four emerging mobile functionalities that are driving
growth in Asia include-mobile payment, mobile gaming, mobile healthcare, and
mobile music. The delivery of advertising within mobile applications (games)
creates a new revenue stream for publishers, distributors, and service
providers. Mobile healthcare is another fast growing segment in APAC.
What trend are you observing in the spend on mobile marketing in APAC,
especially in India?
Asia Pacific remains one of the strongest regions for mobile marketing and
advertising, and accelerating growth will see nearly $7.7 bn (and more than $16
bn globally) spend there in 2011. The current size of the industry in India is
approximately Rs 125 crore, and it is expected to reach Rs 350 crore in the next
two to three years. In the near future, we can expect to see
3-5% of the total advertising spend going into mobile marketing.
What are some of the key challenges in India?
There are some fundamental challenges that hinder the mass usage of content
on mobile phones. These include lack of knowledge among users, mobile browser
constraints leading to poor content quality/experience, and the data charges
associated with the use of Internet over the phone. Innovations that will solve
these challenges will unlock the true potential of the mobile mass media.
Currently, there is a lack of regulations and guidelines.
This may also lead to the risk of mobile phone spam, and consumers losing trust
in mobile marketing.
Social networking has come up as a great media for mobile marketing.....
Social media represents one of the most significant changes in consumer
media behavior in history, resulting in fundamental shifts in the way marketers
communicate and interact with consumers.
The most important aspect of successful mobile marketing
is keeping it targeted. An effective way of accomplishing that is by integrating
mobile marketing into something the target audience actually wants to use. By
incorporating subtle mobile advertising into mobile applications, users get what
they want, while the advertiser gets an opportunity to reach the end-users
without disrupting their experience. However, these are still largely untested
waters, and marketers are still wary of this new environment.
Heena Jhingan
heenaj@cybermedia.co.in