Posts tagged ‘Mobile media’

January 23rd, 2012

What is Mobile Marketing?

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If you’re like a lot of people, you might be asking, “What is mobile marketing?” It sounds like a basic question, but in doing some keyword research for the 60 Second Marketer, I found that “What is mobile marketing?” is the third most common mobile search phrase after “mobile marketing” and “mobile media.”

So, given that, I thought I’d shed some light on what mobile marketing is and how it’s used.

The definition of mobile marketing is pretty straightforward — it’s the set of techniques and practices that enable organizations to connect and engage with their audience in an interactive manner through any mobile device.

The tools and techniques that are used in mobile marketing included the following:

  • Mobile websites
  • Mobile apps
  • Mobile paid search
  • Mobile display (banner) ads
  • Location-based advertising
  • Location-based services (e.g., Foursquare, SCVNGR, WHERE, etc.)
  • Near Field Communication and BlueTooth (i.e., wireless communication between two devices)
  • SMS and MMS (i.e., text messaging)
  • 2D codes (i.e., QR codes, EZ codes, Microsoft TAG, etc.)
  • Mobile email

In Go Mobile (affiliate link), the book I’ve written with Jeanne Hopkins from HubSpot, we provide a roadmap on how to set-up, launch and manage a mobile marketing campaign.

What follows is an excerpt from the introduction in the book. It’s currently the #1 mobile marketing book in America, so if you like what you see, feel free to take a closer look by clicking here.

Here’s the excerpt:

“Are you curious about how to use mobile marketing to grow your business? Would you like to know how to use QR codes, mobile apps, location-based marketing and other mobile tools to increase your sales and revenue? And are you wondering how companies like Coca-Cola, Delta and Starbucks use mobile marketing to connect with their customers?

If so, we have some good news. That’s exactly what we’ve set out to do in Go Mobile. We’ve demystified mobile marketing and re-packaged it as a simple, easy-to-understand tool that you can use to grow your sales and revenue. The questions you have about how to set-up, launch and run a mobile marketing campaign have been answered in this book.

There are four primary mobile operating systems in the U.S. Percentages indicate total U.S. market share.

It’s worth noting that mobile marketing isn’t just an evolutionary new technology, it’s a revolutionary new technology. In fact, it’s a once in a generation shift in the way consumers connect with brands. And it’s going to have more impact than radio, TV and the personal computer – combined.

How can we say that? How can something as small as a smartphone be as powerful as radio, TV and the personal computer combined?

The reason is because mobile provides all three of those things (and more) in a small device that can be put in your pocket. There’s no need to be tied down by a big box that needs to be plugged in all the time. Instead, you (and your customer) can access it whenever they want and wherever they are.

In fact, research by Morgan Stanley indicated that 91% of all mobile phone users have their phones within arm’s reach 24/7. Additional research by Nielsen shows that the growth of the iPhone was 10 times faster than the growth of America Online.

It gets even more incredible. According to the 60 Second Marketer, there are 6.8 billion people on the planet, 4.0 billion of whom own a mobile phone. Do you know how many own a toothbrush? 3.5 billion. That’s right, more people own a mobile phone than own a toothbrush.

What’s more, Gartner predicts that by 2013 the primary way people will access the internet is via their mobile browsers. In other words, more than half the time someone accesses the internet, they’ll be doing it from a mobile phone. That has huge implications for how your business needs to connect with prospects and customers.

Given all that, it’s not surprising that you’re curious about mobile marketing and that you’re reading this book. After all, people like you have realized that mobile is going to be huge. No, wait. Strike that. Mobile is huge. And it’s going to get even huger. (Is huger a word? Why, yes. Just Google it from your mobile device if you don’t believe us.)

Is Mobile Marketing Right for You?

The starting point for anyone interested in diving into mobile marketing isn’t to run out and develop an app or set up a mobile website. Instead, the starting point is to begin by asking yourself, “is mobile marketing right for my business?”   

With that in mind, we’ve come up with a handy little checklist designed to help you figure out if mobile is right for you.

Mobile marketing is right for your business if…

  • You need new customers
  • You want existing customers come back more frequently
  • You want to improve your profit margins
  • You need to appeal to a broader audience
  • You want to differentiate your brand
  • You’d like to improve your marketing ROI
  • You want customers to spend more money each time they buy from you
  • You’re looking for new distribution channels
  • You want to grow your market share
  • You want to be in front of your customers 24/7

See where we’re going with this? The odds are pretty good that one or more of the items listed above is important to you. Who doesn’t want more customers? Who doesn’t want to improve their marketing ROI? And who doesn’t want to differentiate their brand?

5 More Reasons Mobile Marketing Might be Right for Your Business

If the list of reasons above wasn’t enough to get you started in mobile marketing, here are five more that will almost certainly help you along your way.

  1. It’s easier than you think. Setting-up, launching and running a mobile marketing campaign is easier than you may think. If you’re interested in getting a helping hand, reach out to an SMS service provider, your digital advertising agency or a mobile ad network like AdMob, iAd or Millenial Media. A quick phone call to any one of those entities will help you understand just how easy it is to get started in mobile marketing. (Of course, reading this book will help, too.)
  2. There’s a huge untapped mobile audience. The mobile audience is huge, which leaves a large gap between the amount of marketers targeting mobile users, and the actual amount of people using mobile devices, like smartphones. This means that now is the ideal time to test out a mobile marketing campaign for your business to see how effectively it can build your brand and sell your products.
  3. Mobile converts prospects to customers. The conversion rate for many mobile marketing campaigns is dramatically higher than the conversion rate for traditional campaigns. eMarketer reports that 1 in 10 people currently redeem mobile coupons, which is 10 times higher than the redemption rate of some traditional coupons channels.1
  4. It costs less than traditional methods. The cost of running a mobile marketing campaign is currently less than the cost of running many traditional marketing campaigns. Because of that, the ROI of most mobile campaigns is higher than other marketing channels. What’s wrong with a healthy ROI? Nothing.
  5. People respond to mobile. Just like it’s easy to start a campaign on your end, it’s also easy for customers to opt-in or respond to an ad through a click of a button on their smartphone. Easy sells; and more people are willing to reply to a text message or a mobile banner ad than are willing to clip a coupon out of a newspaper.

The bottom line is that there are amazing opportunities for any business interested in taking a dive into mobile marketing. Better still, mobile marketing is not that hard. If you have a basic understanding of marketing, it’ll be a piece of cake. And even if you don’t have a basic understanding of marketing, it’s incredibly easy to learn.”

If you’d like some quick tips on how to get started in mobile marketing, check out the video below from the 60 Second Marketer YouTube Channel. It includes some additional tips on how to get started in mobile marketing quickly and easily.

Posted by Jamie Turner, Founder of the 60 Second Marketer and co-author of “How to Make Money with Social Media” and “Go Mobile.” He is also a popular marketing speaker at events, trade shows and corporations around the globe.

CategoryMarketing Tips, Mobile Marketing, Mobile Marketing Training, Mobile Media | Comment2 Comments »

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December 29th, 2011

Mobile Marketing 101: How to Get Started in Mobile Marketing Quickly and Easily

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Are you interested in learning more about mobile marketing? Would you like to understand how to use mobile marketing to drive new customers to your doorstep? If so, then you’ll want to watch the video below which provides 5 steps on how to get started in mobile.

Included in the video are tips on how to become a mobile marketing Power User — that is, someone who uses mobile well enough to understand the differences between an app, a mobile website and a location-based advertising campaign.

Many of these tips are covered in-depth in the new book I’ve written with Jeanne Hopkins, V.P. of Marketing at HubSpot. The book is called Go Mobile (affiliate link) and we spent hundreds of hours researching and analyzing all the tools in this fascinating new marketing channel. We’ve distilled our findings down to 256 pages of essential information outlined in the book.

Go Mobile is available at Amazon, Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble and other fine bookstores, so be sure to order your copy today.

In the meantime, check out the video below. It’s packed with great tips to help you get started in mobile marketing right away.

Can’t see the video? Click here to watch it on the 60 Second Marketer YouTube channel.

Posted by Jamie Turner, Founder of the 60 Second Marketer and co-author of “How to Make Money with Social Media” and “Go Mobile.” He is also a popular marketing speaker at events, trade shows and corporations around the globe.

CategoryGeneral Marketing, Mobile Marketing | CommentNo Comments »

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August 14th, 2011

45 Best Mobile Apps for Business

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By some estimates, there are more than 400,000 iPhone apps and more than 300,000 Android apps on the market today. That makes it very difficult for the average businessperson to weed out the bad apps and focus on the good ones.

Well, I have some good news.

I’m currently writing a book called Go Mobile with Jeanne Hopkins, who is the Director of Marketing at HubSpot.

In the process of doing research for the book, we’ve narrowed down what we think are some of the best apps to improve productivity, provide news and information and help you connect with customers and prospects.

Here’s our list of the 45 best apps for businesspeople. It’s not a complete list, so if we missed any of your favorites, let us know in the comment section below.

 

News and Information Applications

ABC News Mobile:  This application is for all those who love to be in the know.  You can receive text alerts about breaking news, watch video, listen to podcasts or read articles all on your mobile phone.

CNN Mobile: Interested in staying up-to-date on the latest news from around the globe? CNN Mobile gives you the ability to read the latest stories and watch CNN live on your smartphone.

Google Books: Interested in re-reading the Declaration of Independence or Dante’s Inferno?  Download Google Books to your smartphone and you’re ready to roll.  I’m reading Ben Franklin’s Autobiography on Google Books right now and it’s fascinating.

Google Maps: What would men do without Google Maps?  They’d have to ask for directions, which, of course, will never happen.  Fortunately, Google invented their Map app for guys (like myself) who are too stubborn to stop and ask directions.

There are hundreds of thousands of smartphone apps. Which ones are best for business? Here's our list.

The Huffington Post:  The mobile version of this popular news and opinion online newspaper features breaking news, blogs and original content.

Kindle: You can use your smartphone to preview books that you might like to buy later.  Clean and customizable, the app permits you to preview the first chapter, as well as to add bookmarks, notes, and highlights.

MobiTV:  Missing your favorite TV shows is no longer an issue.  With MobiTV you can watch shows whenever and wherever on your mobile phone.

NPR News: Even if you can’t catch all of the news from NPR at home or in the car, you can still start your day with NPR News for your smartphone.  You can listen to national news stories on demand, or allow the app to use your smartphone’s GPS to pinpoint local content.

Stitcher: This mobile application lets you get your news on the go by streaming up-to-date audio content about business, sports, politics and entertainment.

The Weather Channel:  The Weather Channel’s app and the mobile version of weather.com provide up to date weather information, text alerts, animated maps and more.

Windows Live Messenger:  You can chat with your friends on Windows Live Messenger on the go with their mobile application.

 

Productivity

CamCard: Let’s you scan business cards and automatically add that information to your phone’s contact list and/or your Outlook or Gmail account.

Evernote:  After you create a text note, photo or audio note, you can synch them to your pc or to the web.

Instapaper: Through Instapaper you can save Web articles you browsed on your iPhone for later reading, using a browser bookmarklet.  The Instapaper Website reformats your saved articles (sans Flash ads and clutter) for quick reading on the desktop.

Yammer: Yammer brings together all of a company’s employees inside a private, secure enterprise social network.  This enterprise platform lets businesses set up a Twitter-like service allowing for the open exchange of ideas, links, and documents within enterprise communities.

 

Financial Tools

Bloomberg Mobile: Use this app when you’re on the go to access financial news, stock quotes, company descriptions, market leaders and laggers, price charts, market-trends analysis, customized lists of stocks, and more.

CNNMoney: With breaking business stories and complete in-depth market coverage in a customizable format, CNNMoney provides real-time reporting of financial news and analysis, as well as data and charts.

Expensify: Takes some of the hassle out of creating expense reports by allowing you to report expenses as they happen while you’re on the move.

iStockManager: For continuous access to – and control over – your TD Ameritrade account, use iStockManager. You can get equity and option trading, streaming data, real-time balances and positions, news, and more on your mobile device.

XE Currency: Convert the currencies of more than 180 countries at up-to-the-minute rates. The app saves the last conversion just in case you may need to repeat it offline, too.

 

Organizers/Time Savers

1Password: To maintain your usernames and passwords on your iPhone in one place, try 1Password.  The mobile app syncs with the desktop version, as well.  If you wish, you can use it to store other personal information, too, such as your Social Security number and credit card numbers.

Barcode Scanner: Barcode Scanner handles bar codes – including 2D QR codes – and lets you look up the associated product or URL for instant price checks and comparison shopping.

Craigsphone: Search and browse Craigslist posts near your current GPS location, and bookmark relevant listings, with Craigsphone.  The app also has tools for posting your own listings with photos and maps.

PageOnce: Use PageOnce to track credit card transactions, check your bank account status, monitor frequent-flyer miles and itineraries, and get alerts when bills are due and itineraries change.

 

Utilities

Analytics App: Full mobile service for your Google Analytics data.  You can check everything from reports to specific data, and the tidy interface makes it even easier to navigate than the web-based service.

AntiDroidTheft: If you lose your phone, AntiDroidTheft turns on remote GPS tracking so that you can determine its location.  You can also trigger the phone’s camera to shoot an image that might help you locate the handset.

AndroZip: The powerful AndroZip File Manager works with archives, including 7ZIPhone, BZIP2, GZIPhone, RAR, TAR, and ZIPhone files.  You can use it to create GZIP, TAR, or ZIPhone archives, too.  Free.

Fring: Really cool mobile app that lets you place free calls or chat with anyone from your Skype, ICQ, Google Talk, MSN, Twitter, or SIP contacts.

SmrtGuard: Can remotely track – and lock – your smartphone if it goes missing.  The Pro version lets you perform automatic wireless backup and restore.

Soonr: Need to access your PC directly from the handset?  Enter Soonr, a free mobile client that brings remote PC access to your phone:  search files, view documents, check emails, run programs and more.

Talk to Me: Originally, Talk To Me translated only English, French, Spanish, German, and Italian, with its speech-to-speech functionality.  Now it has many other languages from which to choose.

Vlingo: Replaces every instance where you have to type on your smartphone with voice commands.  It covers your phone’s basic messaging functions, voice calls, Facebook updates, and personal notes.  On Android and BlackBerry, the app will even read your incoming messages to you.

 

Social and Location-Based Applications

Bump:  This is a terrific application that allows you to exchange contact information, photos, social networking information and calendar events just by “bumping” your phone with another Bump user.

Facebook: You can update your Facebook page on the fly with their mobile version.  You can even update your Facebook Places profile, which lets people know where you’re eating, drinking, relaxing or just hanging out.

Foursquare: Ready to “check-in” to your favorite restaurant, bar, mall or retail store?  If you do it enough, you’ll become Mayor or be eligible for discount coupons.

Google+: This is much like Facebook, only better. (Seriously.) If the cluttered atmosphere of Facebook drives you a little batty, click this link and accept our invitation to join Google+.

Gowalla:  Much like Foursquare, Gowalla allows you to share your location with friends, all the while accumulating digital souvenirs that may be redeemable for real life rewards.

Hootsuite: Using HootSuite, you can manage your Facebook and Twitter accounts within an elegant, clean user interface.  HootSuite stands out from other social network managers for its extra features:  You can schedule updates, set columns to monitor keywords and hash tags, and translate updates in other languages                  .

LinkedIn: Ready to exchange LinkedIn contacts just by bumping your phone?  Or perhaps you want read someone’s profile while you’re waiting for them at a restaurant.  If that sounds enticing, then this application is for you.

Loopt: Allows you to connect with your friends by sharing your location and status with friends.  With Loopt, you can find your friends on a map and view their photo and status updates in real-time.

Mass Text Message:  Text up to ten friends with just one click by downloading the Mass Text Message app and creating custom groups of contacts.

Qik:  A new, faster way to share videos with all of your friends, Qik allows you to record and instantly upload videos to the internet or stream live video straight from your phone.  You can also 2-way video chat or send  video mail.

Skype:  Verizon Wireless users can now use Skype through their phones with free Skype-to-Skype calling and IM without using their mobile minutes.  Users with other carriers can get a Skype To Go number that they can reach from any mobile phone.

Twitter: You don’t have to be sitting behind a desk to update your Twitter status.  The mobile version lets you stay connected wherever you are.

Yelp:  This application can give you restaurant reviews on the fly.  Better still, their augmented reality mobile application lets you look through your mobile screen and places tags with reviews over the restaurants on that street.

YouTube:  You can now check out the latest YouTube craze straight from your mobile phone.  You can search for and watch videos or record and upload your own videos.

Did we miss anything on our list? If so, just provide the name, description and URL of your favorite mobile phone apps in the comment section below.

 

Jamie Turner is the co-author of How to Make Money with Social Media. He is the Founder of the 60 Second Marketer and is also a popular marketing speaker at events, trade shows and corporations around the globe. His next book, Go Mobile, will be published by John Wiley & Sons in 2012.

CategoryMobile Marketing, Mobile Media | Comment1 Comment »

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June 8th, 2011

60 Second Book Review: The Third Screen by Chuck Martin

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When I first grabbed The Third Screen (Amazon affiliate link) by my friend Chuck Martin, I thought, “Okay, I’ll take a quick spin through this over the weekend and write a review of it on Monday.” Now, 14 days later, I’ve gone through the entire book and dog-eared so many pages of good, useful information that it’s hard to know where to begin my review.

Chuck’s premise, embraced by most marketers these days, is that mobile media is the third big revolution involving a screen. The first two — TV and the PC — changed our lives dramatically. The third screen — mobile — is going to be just as important as the first two.

The Third Screen by Chuck Martin is filled with in-depth information about mobile media and mobile marketing.

The book is written to appeal to people who are taking a deep dive into mobile media. While there are plenty of tips and techniques to digest here, there’s also a lot of in-depth research and information about how people interact and use their mobile devices.

Case in point — about halfway through the book, Chuck talks about in motion research. “With in motion research,” he says, “you can look at your customers’ patterns of movement, including where they go and what they’re likely to do; that information helps you determine how to best serve them.”

Hmmmm. Interesting. Tell me more.

“Research using location and movement of mobile devices can provide marketers with additional insights and context about their customers’ behaviors. Following are some of the findings of the Mobext study (which tracked consumers using their mobile devices):

  • Those who preferred Dunkin’ Donuts were 33% more likely to dine out than those who preferred Starbucks.
  • Those who shopped at Walmart were 60% more likely to dine out compared with Target customers.
  • Of Target customers who dined out, about 25% went to a restaurant before going to Target, while 25% went to a restaurant afterward.
  • The average frequency of fitness activities for those who went to quick-service coffee or doughnut locations was 50% higher than those who did not visit those types of locations.”

The information above is just one example of the fascinating ways marketers are using the third screen to improve their understanding of consumers and their behavior patterns.

If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to get a superficial understanding of mobile media, this book probably isn’t for you. But if you’re looking for an in-depth book that’s packed with new and relevant information, you’ll want to take a deep dive into Chuck Martin’s The Third Screen.

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Posted by Jamie Turner, Chief Content Officer of the 60 Second Marketer, the online magazine of BKV Digital and Direct Response. Jamie is also the co-author of How to Make Money with Social Media.

CategoryGeneral Marketing, Mobile Marketing | CommentNo Comments »

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June 2nd, 2011

Is Mobile Marketing Right for Your Business? Fill Out Our Mobile Marketing Score Card to Find Out.

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Is mobile marketing right for your business?

That’s a question on a lot of people’s minds lately. After all, with the advent of smartphones, iPads, mobile apps, mobile search and other mobile marketing techniques, a lot of people are asking themselves, “Is mobile marketing right for my business?”

Is mobile media right for your business? Take this quiz then click on the question mark to join the discussion on our LinkedIn Discussion Group.

With that in mind, I came up with a handy scorecard that I sent out to all 5,900+ subscribers to the 60 Second Marketer e-newsletter last week. (Huh? You’re not a subscriber to our free e-newsletter yet? Well, c’mon. Hop to it.)

The mobile scorecard is designed to help you figure out if mobile marketing is right for your business. (When I say “mobile” I mean the use of mobile ads, mobile search, mobile apps, mobile websites, mobile catalogs or SMS to connect with customers.)

The scorecard won’t provide a bullet-proof answer, but it will give you a directional sense of whether mobile is right for you.

Just answer the questions below and keep track of your score.

Here goes:

  1. Customer Demographics: The median age of my customer is under 45 years old (Yes, +10 points. No, -5 points.)
  2. Business Category: My company has multiple bricks-and-mortar locations (Yes, +5 points. No, +0 points.)
  3. Business Category: My company sells only B2C (Yes, +5 points. No, +0 points.)
  4. Marketing Dependency: My company spends more than 5% of revenues on marketing and advertising (Yes, +10 points. No, +0 points.)
  5. Customer Demographics: My typical customer lives in a city with a population of more than 200,000 people (Yes, +10 points. No, +0 points.)
  6. Company Revenue: My company generates more than $10 million in revenues per year (Yes, +5 points. No, -5 points.)
  7. Industry Competition: Generally speaking, my industry is very competitive and I’m always trying to find ways to differentiate my brand (Yes, +10 points. No, +0 points.)

If you scored between 35 and 55, you should definitely begin investing in a mobile media marketing program.

If you scored between 15 and 35, you should probably begin investing in a mobile media marketing program.

And if you scored below a 15, you’re off the hook — no need to invest in mobile media right now.

How’d you do? Share your score with other people on our LinkedIn Mobile Media Discussion and see how you compared.
If you like what you read today, you can have these blog posts delivered to your in box each morning by clicking here. Or, you can sign up for our free weekly e-newsletter by clicking here.

Posted by Jamie Turner, Chief Content Officer of the 60 Second Marketer, the online magazine of BKV Digital and Direct Response. Jamie is also the co-author of How to Make Money with Social Media.

CategoryMarketing Best Practices, Mobile Marketing | CommentNo Comments »

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January 29th, 2011

A Step-by-Step Guide on Taking the Mobile Media Plunge

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We know how you feel, you just got done spending a ton of time, money and effort into figuring out how social media works and how best to incorporate it into your businesses’ marketing and communications efforts and frankly, you’re exhausted.

Let us be the first to congratulate you on a hard fought victory.  But now is not the time to get complacent and rest on our laurels.  Now is the “year of mobile.”  A lot of forward thinking companies, ad agencies and technophiles are already out there using mobile media to attract attention to their companies, grow their customer bases and just plain generate revenue.

These are the primary mobile media operating systems used by consumers around the globe.

Getting Started with Mobile Media

Over the next couple of months, our team will walk you through what you need to know to stay ahead of (okay, maybe just with) the curve on this new technology and how you can use mobile media to your advantage.

You’re most likely very much aware of the fact that the big topic (technology) on the lips of businesspeople, bloggers, baristas and basketball players alike, is mobile media.  Its’ everywhere!  And that’s true because each year, more and more people are carrying mobile phones.

A report from eMarketer, predicts that by the end of 2011, 80% of the U.S. population will own at least one mobile phone. That’s a ton of people who are always connected and can always be reached no matter where they are.  The problem being that since mobile is such a new technology the rules are constantly being written, over written and rewritten on a daily basis.  So where to start?  That’s where we come in.

We are going to start you off today with

  • Some definitions of the basic types of mobile communications
  • Tips on how you can start to familiarize yourself with how mobile works

Types of Mobile Media Communications

The simplest and most basic form of mobile media is the text message, formally known as Short Message Service (SMS).  Because any mobile phone, smartphone or otherwise, can receive and send text messages, this is the most commonly used form of media when it comes to mobile advertising and it currently accounts for the largest potion of mobile ad spending.  It provides the greatest reach to the most users and its simple to create.

Moving down the ladder one rung to the second highest category of mobile ad spending we arrive at Mobile Banner Ads. Although, due to the rising popularity of smartphones and predicted advances in mobile browsers and networks, some marketing professionals think that Mobile Ads will overtake SMS in total ad spend in the next year or two.  Just like online banner ads, mobile display ads are sold on the basis of a cost per click (CPC), cost per acquisition (CPA) or cost per thousand impressions (CPM) and takes a mobile user who clicks on the banner to that advertiser’s mobile website.

Which brings us to our next type of mobile media: Mobile Websites.  Mobile websites differ from their desktop counterparts in that they have been specifically designed for the smaller screens of mobile devices and are more streamlined.  CNN is a good example of a company with a great mobile website that we at the 60 Second Marketer like a lot and visit on a regular basis.  Their mobile site is easy to navigate and it loads very quickly; the two must-haves for a company considering going down the path of developing a mobile website for their business.

Mobile Search is recognized by advertising professionals as one of the most popular mobile internet activities amongst all mobile users.  Searches can be performed on your phone through a number of providers like Google, Yahoo, Bing!  Your mobile phone might even have a search function/program built into its operating system.  Mobile search works in pretty much the same way as desktop Search Engine Marketing (SEM), where advertisers bid for certain keywords in an auction-based marketplace for their search ad to appear in a desired rank order.  This is a very simple type of mobile marketing that, at its most basic, can be set up and launched in a matter of a couple of hours.

Anyone out there that is carrying an iPhone, Blackberry, Android or other type of smartphone should know what a Smartphone Application is at this point.  Mobile apps can provide direct access to information in the form of directions, entertainment via a game (we wished we invented Angry Birds or Farmville) or can be a mobile social media application, like Facebook or Foursquare.  Bank of America’s mobile banking app that allows you to check your account balances and transfer funds as needed is an excellent example of a branded smartphone app that is not only useful but also serves to drive brand awareness with each use.

The last type of mobile media we want to introduce you to today is Mobile Video. According to industry reports, video is currently receiving the lowest percentage of mobile ad spending, but this relatively new mobile advertising medium, like mobile banners, will become more prevalent as mobile devices and networks continue to improve.   Mobile video ads are typically ten seconds long and are automatically played prior to (called, pre-roll) the video you selected to watch on your device.  This works much the same way as the advertising you see on Hulu.com before you view the video selected.  Advertisers like mobile video because, although your device has lots of functionality, you can’t multi-task while watching a video on your iPhone.

5 Tips on How You Can Get Familiar With Mobile

We know you’ve read a lot here today when probably all you really wanted to read were our tips on how you can familiarize yourself with the basic types of mobile media.  So, without further ado, here’s your “homework assignment” for next time.  Feel free to pick three or four from this list, the more the merrier:

  1. Send a text message to Google. How you ask? Send a text as simple as this, “Starbucks. 30326″ to the number 466453 (that’s Google spelled out on your keypad).  Wait about 5 seconds and you should receive a text message back from Google with the address for the two or three closest Starbucks locations to the zip code 30326.  The text is billed to your account like a regular text message and doesn’t cost anything extra.  Got unlimited texts? Even better!
  2. If you have a smartphone go to a mobile website that you visit often on your computer. We like the mobile versions of CNN.com and ESPN.com.  Once the page loads fully (and hopefully quickly) scroll around and find a mobile banner ad.  Take a look at who’s ad it is, what it says and what it looks like.  Click it and see what happens.  Again, this doesn’t cost you anything.  Where does the mobile banner take you?  Do this on a couple of different mobile banners you come across and compare user experiences.
  3. Point your mobile browser to a website that you often visit on your home computer. Compare it side by side to the full version of the website on your computer screen.  Notice the content that has been included on, or more importantly excluded from, the mobile version of the site.  Do this with a couple of different types of sites.  Remember, the shorter the load time the better.
  4. Already on Facebook? Only use Google to search online?  Have an account on Padora? Well guess what.  All of these sites have great mobile applications that you can download for free and use on your mobile device.  Again, compare the functionality of these mobile apps against their full sized counterparts on your computer.  The best mobile applications are very simple and have a couple of core functions.  With the Facebook app you can update your status wherever you go and the Pandora app lets you listen to the Bon Jovi station you secretly love but are embarrassed tell your friends you created.
  5. Getting familiar with mobile video may require a bit of patience depending on how fast your device can load and play videos, so consider this homework assignment extra credit. Go back to CNN.com on your mobile and scroll down until you see links for some of their videos.  Find one that interests you and click through on the links to play it.  Take note of the video that should play pre-roll to the video you’ve selected.

That’s all for today.  Class dismissed!  We here at the 60 Second Marketer would like to leave you with a brief parting thought — The quickest way to figure out how to properly utilize mobile media in your company’s communication efforts is to start using it yourself as much as you can.  To borrow a quote from Mark Twain, “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”

Stay tuned here for more information about trends in mobile media, mobile marketing best practices, companies who are using mobile in creative and effective ways and much more.

Posted by Matt Luber, Mobile Media Analyst, the 60 Second Markter, and graduate student at Emory University.

CategoryMobile Marketing, Mobile Media | Comment4 Comments »

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September 1st, 2010

How to Use Mobile Media QR Codes to Promote Your Business

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Dan Smigrod is the CEO and Chief Creative Officer at Great!, a company that generates innovative, breakthrough marketing ideas for a variety of well-known brands.

Not long ago, Dan wrote a blog post called 101 Uses for Quick Response Codes. You’re familiar with Quick Response codes. They’re the little square boxes (like the one on this page) that can be snapped by a smart phone to drive a user to a website, an MP3 download, a contact card or any other number of uses.

Interested in the QR code experience? Snap this QR code from your smart phone and find out where it takes you.

Dan’s post is really terrific. Seriously, I’d encourage you to visit the blog, print it out, then ponder all the different ways QR codes can be used to engage prospects and customers.

Dan has agreed to let me share my favorite ideas from his post with you. Here are some of my favorite ideas from Dan’s list:

  1. Business cards — The recipient scans the code to import your contact information.
  2. Website — Add a QR code to the contact page on your website so users can instantly download your contact information.
  3. Product packaging — If you sell a product that requires installation, include a QR code on the box to drive users to online instructional videos.
  4. Outdoor board — Great for a teaser campaign for a new movie or TV show. Scan the code to watch the trailer, sneak preview or teaser episode from your mobile phone.
  5. Name tags — Create and add your scan code to your name badge to make it easy for conference attendees to get your contact information.
  6. Home for sale signs — Add a scan code that launches a video or photo tour of the house.
  7. Historical site markers — Ditto. A scan code can enhance the experience of the people visiting the site.
  8. Restaurant menu — Scan the code for recipes to your favorite dishes.
  9. Press release — Include scan codes in press releases to provide recipients with additional information.
  10. Grocery shopping cart — Users can scan the code in to get special discounts at the grocery store. The scan code doesn’t change, but the offer rolls over with a new one every week.
  11. Link to iTunes App store — The Wall Street Journal included a scan code in one of their ads that instantly drove the visitor to the iTunes App store, where they could download the iPhone App for that product.
  12. In the Mens’ Urinals — Dan’s company Great! proposed and implemented the first interactive urinal communicator for CMT Outlaws. “Don’t miss Outlaws on CMT. You seem to miss everything else!”
  13. YouTube video — Scan the code at the end of the video to take you to a related video, thereby keeping the user engaged.

Those are just some of the ideas in Dan’s list, so be sure to read the full post.

In the meantime, don’t leave the 60 Second Marketer blog without using your smart phone to snap our QR code on this blog post.

If you don’t already have a QR code reader installed on your smart phone, here are the steps to make it all happen:

  1. From your mobile phone, type one of these URLs into your web browser: http://get.beetagg.com/ or http://www.getscanlife.com/ or http://tinyurl.com/292s5go.
  2. Download the QR code reader to your smart phone.
  3. Then, snap a photo of the QR code on this page and enjoy the ride!

That’s all for now, folks. We’ll be doing many more mobile media stories in the near future.

Onward.

Posted by Jamie Turner, Chief Content Officer for the 60 Second Marketer, the online magazine for BKV Digital and Direct Response. Download a free chapter from Jamie’s new book by clicking “How to Make Money with Social Media.”

CategoryGeneral Marketing, Mobile Media | Comment12 Comments »

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August 24th, 2010

An Introduction to the Next Big Thing — Mobile Media

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Michael C. Robinson, who helps run the Integrated Marketing Summit with Shawn Elledge, recently submitted a video blog to the 60 Second Marketer about mobile media.

In his video, Michael discusses location-based mobile applications such as Gowalla, Foursquare and Yelp. Michael’s 60-second video is definitely worth checking out. With that in mind, here’s an excerpt from “How to Make Money with Social Media” that will serve as an introduction to Michael’s video.

The six most common ways companies use mobile media to connect with prospects and customers:

  1. SMS (Short Message Service): Neilsen estimates that SMS, usually referred to as texting, is the most common phone-based activity among U.S. cell phone users of all ages. That said, some people feel as though SMS for marketing purposes is equivalent of Mobile Media 1.0.  Will Smart phone technology will soon overwhelm SMS as a marketing tool? Who knows. But for now, it’s still a viable mobile media tool for marketers.
  2. Mobile Websites: The most sophisticated marketers have a sub-domain set up specifically for mobile phones. So, for example, when you type www.ESPN.com into your smart phone, the ESPN site actually figures out that you’re visiting the site from a mobile device and re-directs you to a sub-domain (e.g., www.m.ESPN.com). That way, your experience from a mobile phone is different from your experience at your computer.
  3. Mobile Ads: Research indicates that mobile ads perform about five times better than internet ads. The most common mobile ads are simple text links and graphical banner and display ads. Banner and display ads are sold on a cost-per-click (CPC), cost-per-acquisition (CPA) and a cost-per-thousand basis (CPM). CPC means you only get charged when someone clicks-through on your ad. It’s the same model that a paid search campaign on Google, Bing or Yahoo uses. CPA means you get charged each time you acquire a lead from your mobile media ad. CPA programs are great if you know how much a lead is worth to your company and what percentage of leads you can convert to a sale. And CPM means you get charged based on the number of times your ad is served up. Typical rates for a CPM program are about $6 to $20 per thousand times your ad is delivered to a mobile device.
  4. Bluetooth Marketing: This is a form of on-demand mobile marketing that targets users based on precise geographical location. So, for example, if you’re standing within 100 feet of Joe’s Pizza, you might receive a free coupon, wallpaper, ringtone, video or audio file that prompts you to visit Joe’s and order a pizza. (Might we suggest a double pepperoni on thin crust?)
  5. Smart phone Apps: The primary smart phone platforms include iPhone, Android, Palm and Blackberry. The best way to use apps for marketing is to create something that’s either functional (e.g., a calculator), entertaining (e.g., a game) or provides some sort of social connectedness (e.g., an app just for your community). Many applications are fee-based, but more and more companies are giving away Smart phone Apps as a way to stay connected with customers and prospects.
  6. QR Codes: These  are the two dimensional barcodes that can be found in print ads, in-store posters and even on the jacket cover of our book. They were initially used for tracking parts for vehicle manufacturers, but are now used in magazines, newspapers, signs and even T-shirts to send  people to a web page, download an MP3, dial a telephone number or send an email message. Some people are even putting them on business cards so people can download contact information directly into their contact database.

Okay, now that that brief summary introduction to mobile media is behind us, let’s check out Michael’s 60-second video about Gowalla, Foursquare and Yelp, shall we?

CategoryGeneral Marketing, Mobile Marketing, Mobile Media | Comment3 Comments »

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April 13th, 2010

How to Launch a Mobile Marketing Campaign

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By Jamie Turner, Chief Content Officer, 60 Second Marketer

I’m doing a little research for a chapter in the book I’m writing with Dr. Reshma Shah about social media. I’m writing about mobile media which, in my opinion, is a social media tool. (There may be those who argue with that point-of-view, buy that’s my story and I’m sticking with it.)

Mobile Marketing Best Practices

Click here for more articles on mobile media (and other marketing tools).

In doing my research, I jotted down some notes. I thought I’d share them with you because a) they might be helpful, and b) perhaps you can make comments about my findings.

Special thanks go out to the Mobile Marketing Association and MarketingProfs, both of which have a ton of great research on this topic.

Here’s what I found:

How do people use Mobile Media? According to the Mobile Marketing Association, there are 12 different ways people use mobile media:

  • Click to call: Users place an outgoing call to the content provider or advertiser
  • Click to locate: Users find the closest business enabled by location-based services
  • Click to order brochure: Users receive marketing materials by supplying their postal addresses
  • Click to enter competition: Users enter text or sweepstakes to win prizes
  • Click to receive email: Users receive an email and a link to online site by supplying their email addresses
  • Click to receive mobile coupon: Users receive an electronic coupon on their mobile phone that can be redeemed immediately at a participating merchant
  • Click to buy: Users make a purchase paid for with a credit card, added to their monthly mobile bill or using some other form of mobile payment
  • Click to download content: Users download content, including logos, wallpapers or ring tones, onto their mobile phones
  • Click to enter branded Mobile web site: Users click a banner to get connected to standing or campaign-specific Mobile website
  • Click to forward content: Users forward relevant content to friends, creating a viral campaign effect
  • Click to video: Users click a banner to view an advertiser’s commercial for a product or service
  • Click to vote: Users reply message ballot or poll from their mobile phone and provide marketers and brands with valuable research insights

What are the primary mobile marketing tools? MarketingProfs broke them down into several different categories.

  • SMS (Short Message Service): Neilsen estimates that SMS is the most common phone-based activity among U.S. cell phone users of all ages. That said, in the 60 Second Marketer’s humble opinion, SMS is the equivalent of MobileMedia 1.0. I mean, really. When was the last time you actually participated in an SMS marketing message. About 2005?
  • Mobile Websites: The most sophisticated marketers have a sub-domain set up specifically for mobile phones. So, for example, when you type www.ESPN.com into your smart phone, the ESPN site actually figures out that you’re visiting the site from a mobile device and re-directs you to a sub-domain (e.g., www.m.ESPN.com). That way, your experience from a mobile phone is different from your experience at your computer. The trick here is to be sure you create a mobile site that a) loads quickly, and b) provides a streamlined experience.
  • Mobile Ads: Research from InsightExpress indicates that mobile ads perform about five times better than internet ad placements. The most common mobile ads are simple text links and graphical banner and display ads. Banner and display ads are sold on both a CPC and CPM basis. Remember, there are about 5,000 different types of mobile handsets available, so no one banner size is optimal for all.
  • Bluetooth Marketing: This is a form of on-demand mobile marketing that targets users based on precise geographical location. So, for example, if you’re standing in front of Joe’s Pizza, you might receive a free coupon, wallpaper, ringtone, video or audio file if you’re standing within 100 feet of their store. Many vendors allow companies to track responses in real time, too. All that sounds pretty cool to us.
  • Smartphone Apps: The primary smartphone platforms include iPhone, Andriod, Palm and Blackberry. The best way to use apps for marketing is to create something that’s either functional (e.g., a calculator), entertaining (e.g., a game) or provides some sort of social connectedness (e.g., an app just for your community). Apple keeps 30% of all revenues associated with selling downloads through iTunes, so keep that in mind during development. Android’s open source model is a little easier to implement, but is slightly more difficult to market and deliver. BlackBerry is becoming more competitive, especially with the launch of its App World store.

The Bottom Line:

There’s a marketing revolution going on and it revolves around media. For the next several years, technology will continue to provide new and fascinating media channels for brands to connect with customers and prospects.

Over time, the revolution will move away from new media channels and towards the creativity behind the message. In other words, as smartphone apps lose the “aha” factor, marketers will be pressed to find new and innovative ways to use these channels in an engaging fashion.

What are your thoughts about all this? Did we miss any important platforms? What about the whole “media revolution vs. creative revolution” thing at the end? What are your thoughts on that?

CategoryMobile Marketing | Comment9 Comments »

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August 28th, 2008

How to Buy Ads on the Mobile Web

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The Mobile Marketing Association is a great resource for everything about mobile media. If you haven’t taken a spin through their site, it’s worth spending a few minutes doing so.

Here’s some information on buying mobile ads from their site that’s worth sharing:

Essentially, buying ads on the mobile web is the same as buying banner ads on the internet. Although, in most cases, mobile web banner ads can be bought on a cost-per-thousand (CPM) basis or a cost-per-click (CPC) basis, mobile offers targeting possibilities beyond that of traditional media. Pretty soon, if not already, you’ll see a range of targeting options covering context, demographic and behavioral attributes. (Note: For a great video on behavioral targeting, check out “An Introduction to Behavioral Targeting” in the 60 Second Videos section of the site.)

Some operators and publishers that have mobile web sites sell mobile ads directly, while others allow their inventory to be sold by a third party, either as a premium inventory or as part of a mobile network.

The biggest difference between buying mobile web display ads and internet display ads is that the mobile web ads are not sold by unit size. Because the sizes and resolutions of mobile phone screens vary, the way the content looks on those mobile phones will also vary.

It’s worth noting that most mobile campaigns today result in significantly higher click-through rates than PC-based internet campaigns.

All this and more is available at the Mobile Marketing Association website. Check it out!

CategoryMobile Marketing | Comment1 Comment »

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The 60 Second Marketer is a free online magazine brought to you by BKV Interactive and Direct Response. We try to provide quick updates on the newest tools, tips and techniques in marketing. We also try to accomplish that with a dose of humor or levity. As it turns out, we're pretty good at providing tools, tips and techniques, but we're not actually all that funny. Which would explain why people don't call us "funny" as much as they call us "laughable." Bummer. Our offices, for those of you who are interested, are located in Atlanta (404-233-0332) and Kansas City (913-648-8333). We also have offices on Bora Bora, but they don't have the phones installed yet.

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