by anton | Feb 20, 2015 |
With the internet side of Mobile Advertising catering mostly to Smarthphone users, many brands are wondering if Africa is really ready for this form of advertising. After all, a big chunk of the consumer market still owns cheap, ordinary phones with no or limited browser capabilities. Are we jumping gun with this? It is true that the migration to Smartphones has started of slow because of the expenses related to it. But, it is increasingly picking up speed. How can we say this? Mobile Carriers have realised the importance and advantages of Smartphones over feature phones and are actively encouraging their clients to upgrade. They too want to give their clients access to more advanced services and products. We are seeing cheaper options gradually entering the phone market, which means that within a few years, Smartphone users will outnumber feature phone users by far. So, while every consumer in South Africa might not own a Smartphone yet, it is simply a matter of time. In fact, it is said that Smartphone usage overall is increasing by 20 – 25% per year. We are also seeing more and more brands achieving success within the Mobile Advertising space – like MTN, Vodacom, KFC, Intarget etc. They have the advantage of starting early and using their time to perfect their mobile marketing. By the time their competitors join the fray, they are already experts in their field and setting the tone for things to come. Another clever thing these successful brands do is starting with the non-Internet side of Mobile Advertising first. That would be text messages, MMS, USSD and mobile billing...
by anton | Feb 18, 2015 |
We are often reluctant to try new things when it comes to our business or brand. Mobile Advertising is one of those things. There are so many people offering so-called “quick fixes” or “easy solutions” that it is no wonder that business owners and marketers take new marketing methods with a pinch of salt. Add to that how quickly any trend can lose its charm, and it is no wonder that brands aren’t simply just jumping on every marketing bandwagon that comes chugging along. But, Mobile Advertising is no trend or quick fix. It is simply a smart way of marketing that will help you to communicate more effectively with consumers. No tricks. No funny business. Even though the concept is still foreign to some, cell phone-based marketing is catching on. Whether your message is directly texted to an existing customer’s phone or a potential customer sees it when they browse the mobile web, you are sure to get noticed. Another cool thing about this type of marketing is that it isn’t only used to drive hard sales, but also to spark engagement and conversation between customers and your brand. The digital side of Mobile Advertising is mostly focused on the Smartphone user because they are the ones who usually use their phones for Internet browsing. Smartphone usage is increasing around 20% plus per year, which means that a few years from now most phones will be Smartphones anyway. So if your fear is that digital Mobile Advertising is still a bit niche, you can rest assured that it won’t be this way for long. If you can get...
by anton | Feb 16, 2015 |
As with any type of marketing, Mobile Advertising also has its pros and cons. The good news is that the pros outweighs the cons. So, what exactly are we looking at? The Advantages Instant reach: Customers always carry their mobile phones with them, which means instant reach and instant response on your marketing message. Plus, you can reach a mass amount of users all at the same time. Low cost: Unlike traditional advertising mediums, Mobile Advertising is relatively cheap and comes with a range of options that differ in price. This means that small businesses and entrepreneurs aren’t excluded. There is something for every budget. Convenient to use: Creating content for mobile is much easier (and cheaper!). A brand can keep things simple without having to worry that customers will literally throw away or overlook their communication attempts. In fact, users can carry the info with them until they are ready to respond. Potential to go viral: Because Mobile Marketing is a form of mass communication, it has the potential to go viral. Mobile users love to share and forward interesting or delightful texts, videos and images with their friends and family. Insightful analytics: You can easily track and analyse what happens with your Mobile Advertisement. Just to name one: you can see where in the world a mobile user resides. This useful and accurate insight into mobile user behaviour will help you to create highly targeted messages. The Disadvantages Too diverse: Mobile Phones come in different shapes and sizes, which makes it harder to pinpoint a “standard” for mobile marketing messages. Also, not every person uses the same...
by anton | Feb 13, 2015 |
You might have heard a lot more talk about Mobile Advertising lately – it seems that it is the new cool kid on the block. But why all the fuss? Is it really the next marketing step for brands to take, or is it just another trend that will quickly fade away? To understand the hype about Mobile Advertising is to understand the humble mobile phone itself. Everything that is great about your cell phone, can be emphasised through wireless marketing. For example: Always connected Due to the fact that people always carry their phone on their person, mobile is an “always connected” medium. People receive and read their messages almost instantly no matter where they are – at home, at work, watching the kids play soccer etc. They rarely switch off their phones. Thus, unlike traditional advertising channels, your customer can receive your message in the palm of their hand. Anytime, anywhere. More than just advertising Mobile Advertising can be personalized to make people feel like they aren’t just one in a thousand customers reading your message. Plus, you can do so much more with it than simply sell your product – you can also use it to build lasting relations with your customers. The branch of mobile advertising that consists of texting is especially useful in this regard. Bells and whistles Videos and MMS as well as mobile display ads can be equipped with some bells and whistles that will evoke an emotional response from your customers. People love colourful graphics and images that inspire them to take some kind of action. Unlike an advertisement in a...
by anton | Jan 30, 2015 |
Content was a big deal in Mobile Advertising last year, and experts predict that 2015 will blow everything out of the water. So, what exactly do they think is going to happen? Measurement and technology There is no way around it: You have to be able to measure your campaigns to see if you are successful or not. Brands will (or rather should) take content measurement more serious to ensure that they don’t miss out on potential sales opportunities. Setting goals and planning strategies is key. We should also see either an improvement in current metric systems or the rise of completely new ones to make the lives of marketers easier. Tracking Mobile advertisement clicks from to start to finish (and everything in between) will be a big focus point for developers. Brands will also need to gain a better understanding of the workings of Social Media and SEO. Digital marketers in particular will have to wise-up on the workings of front- and backend web coding. Participation Mobile advertising content (whether it is a simple SMS or a flashy banner ad) will become more targeted, and more personal. The end goal? Participation. Marketers can’t sit in their offices and ponder over what customers want, they will have to enlist the help of their customers to figure this out. There is no more space for guessing or simply blindly following old ideas. No more silos Companies as a whole should foster better collaboration between different departments. After all, for mobile marketing to be successful, you need different people/ teams to work together and share ideas. The digital marketer/ team can’t...
