Just a week ago I was reading an article which was regurgitating the same old line – is this the year of the mobile? For those working in the industry, we all know that mobile internet has received strong enough penetration to consider it an important digital channel – one which cannot be ignored. In fact in a recent report from Mark Meeker’s, from Morgan Stanley it was declared that by 2014 mobile will become the primary device for accessing the internet reinforcing just how big a role mobile will play in our digital strategy in the coming years. However just like social media the mobile space is moving rapidly and organisations are beginning to innovate in the space. So what are some of the trends emerging beyond those that we have already witnessed like Augmented Reality. 5 of the most interesting I have come across are detailed below.
Comparison Shopping – Mobile Style
The introduction of applications like ShopSavvy will provide consumers with new ways to compare and shop on the move. Named a potential game charger – comparison apps combine location with traditional comparison technology to enable consumers to do online research out in the field. By scanning bar codes users can compare prices of the products in the area simplifying the process of “shopping around”.
Jeffrey Grau a senior analyst from eMarketer recently said “Until now, researching online and buying in a store have been sequential activities that take place hours, days or even weeks apart. But customers who bring their Web-enabled mobile phones with them into a store can do online research at the point of a purchase decision.”
mCommerce
Gartner analysts are predicting an explosion in mobile transactions this year, with the number of such purchases likely to increase by over 50%. The data, compiled by Gartner, showed the Asia-Pacific region to be the leader in mobile transactions, with 41.8 million users in 2009 – a number which is expected to rise to 62.8 million by the end of 2010. However with Australian retailers behind on the general commerce front it will be interesting to see how quickly retailers will embrace mobile commerce opportunities.
Location Based Marketing & CRM for Mobile
Globally in markets such as the US and UK, mobile is providing a key tool to drive traffic and sales to traditional bricks and mortar retailers – bridging the gap between online and in-store purchases. Mobile coupons are one of the key ways in which retailers such as Subway and Target are using mobile to drive consumers in-store. This presents a significant opportunity for Australian retailers who are yet to be convinced about the value driven through investment in online channels to drive sales in-store.
A newer opportunity is also surfacing and could also revolutionise mobile marketing and that is Geo-fencing. A geo-fence is a virtual field around a location that is used to shoot a mobile message to a user when they come into or leave that area through applications. For brands who have engaged consumers in the mobile space, geo-fencing presents an opportunity to communicate to their audience in a timely, relevant manner – based on their location. By doing so retailers will be able to drive repeat patronage in store and potentially increase share of wallet from its consumer base.
Appvertising
Both Google (AdMob) and Apple (iAds) are heavily investing in networks to monetise the increasing number of applications being loaded into app stores. Unlike other forms of advertising networks, mobile networks can combine location based data with user profiles to deliver a new targeting capability. And whilst statistics of mobile advertising vs other forms show market share is still relatively small the opportunity is significant. The Apple iStore alone has experienced over 4 billion downloads for free apps – and this sheer volume of consumer usage and engagement is one which many marketers will be looking to leverage – particularly early on. Like any newer form of media, consumer interaction is high partly due to lower advertiser saturation rates and noise. Statistics currently show that that appvertising campaigns are delivering response rates of between .3% – 6%.
Location Based Social Media
Location based social media is one other area that is significantly on the rise. FourSquare, Gowalla, Google Latitude and others are rapidly innovating and consumer take up is rapidly increasing. A month ago I provided a full overview of these networks and how they are changing the mobile and social landscape along with the opportunities they will present to marketers thus to view this click here.
What other trends do you see emerging in the mobile space? Share them below.
Written By: Teresa Sperti
Hi Teresa, it is interesting to see how Virgin Blue are now using their Check-Mate Mobile Platform. “We know your time is valuable, so weâ��ve made it possible to book a flight, manage your booking and check-in for your flights anytime and anywhere.”
“Virgin Blue Check-Mate has delivered the first Australian domestic mobile check-in system”http://virginblue.com.au/Personal/Services/mobileservices/index.htm
Their Check-In system is a great example of how 2D Bar Codes can be used effectively for ticketing/coupons.
The check in process is explained in more detail here
http://www.virginblue.com.au/Personal/Services/Check-inoptions/MobileCheck-in/index.htm
The 2D Bar Codes (QR Code, Datamatrix, BeeTag) look like being an important function for driving visitors from offline media onto the web via mobile devices as well as being used for ticketing/coupons for driving people in-store.
I was standing in a cue waiting to purchase a ticket at the movies the other day and they advertised that they had a deal on if you registered at their website. I pulled out my mobile to register but got to the ticket box before I could register, but I could imagine that a scanner & some turnstiles could be put in place at the movies where I simply scan the 2D code that appears on my mobile phone.
The same could happen at the train stations, buses, etc.
The coupons could not only be used to help drive people in-store the coupons could be advertised within the store to get current customers to opt-in to their database via their Mobile phone before the customer even leaves the store.
They could build a loyalty rewards club but not use a card, instead create a 2D Bar Code & scan the code on the phone prior to scanning in any of the items purchased.
The possibilities are already endless, especially in the retail sector. It’s going to be interesting to see where Mobile takes us next.
‘Near-field communications’ will be the way of the future and the mobile phone will end up doing away with the need to carry credit cards.
Here’s an article I found interesting about something that was developed a few years back…
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10074366-94.html
“the sticker is a passive chip requiring power from a point of sale reader via a magnetic field. its frequency is 13.56 mhz so it wont interfere with the phone at all. what it will do is make the phone even more useful”.