This first ran on MyMobiManager, a company that creates content management systems for the mobile web. Creative and fun, if you’re looking for help in that area, you should check them out!
And now back to your regularly scheduled blog post…
Most of the work we do at Arment Dietrich is B2B. We do some start-up consumer work, but the majority of our clients fall in a very niche B2B industry. And, because of that, they’re sorely behind when it comes to technology. We have one client, in fact, who still hasn’t upgraded to Outlook preferring to use, instead, Lotus Notes. We love you, but oy!
So when we talk about something as simple as moving their websites to a mobile browser friendly format, you can imagine the blank stares we get. And apps? Forget about it!
To complicate matters a little bit, the FCC recent decision on net neutrality affects how we may or may not, as consumers, be protected from the wireless companies on our phones. And, as business leaders, we may have to consider jumping in bed with the wireless companies in order to get our content out (and not blocked).
But these statistics show mobile isn’t going to go away.
- More than 80 percent of Americans carry a mobile phone (CTIA Wireless Association)
- Cell phone subscriptions look to have topped five billion globally at the end of 2010 (International Telecommunication Union)
- The global mobile advertising market is valued at more than $16 billion (ComScore)
- Four out of five teens carry a mobile phone and the majority of them view it as the key to their social life (CTIA Survey)
Because of that, we continue to beat the drum, in hopes of bringing our clients forward more quickly than their competitors.
There are four areas where I think our clients, in particular, will see growth in mobile marketing this year and next.
- Mobile Browser Ready. This is the big one we’ll work with all of our clients on this year. If their sites aren’t mobile browser ready by December 2011, I’ll consider it a failure on our end. Add to this, it is estimated every phone that enters the marketing this year will have browser capabilities. AT&T added basic browser functionality to their basic phones last year. Businesses need to be ready for people to look at their sites, and get information, via their phones.
- Location-Based Services. While we haven’t yet seen a proliferation of LBS in B2B businesses, I think 2011 is the year. Using tips, drawing attention, and building awareness are a few ways we’ll be leading our clients toward attracting a new customer via their phones. One of my favorite things to hear is, “I’m in Chicago and just checked into my hotel and saw a tip from Arment Dietrich!”
- Mobile Payments. I’m a big, big fan of leaving my purse at home and paying for things with my phone. I love it when I’m asked for a loyalty card and I hand them my phone (I use CardBank) and the cashier goes, “WHOA! This is cool!” In Chicago we can pay for Starbucks with our phones. Every business should be looking at how they can incorporate mobile payments to their structure.
- Mobile Blogging. I stopped using WordPress on my phone last year because it was so cumbersome. But then I got the iPad and added Pages to it and now blogging is a breeze…sometimes even from bed, while still under the covers! This will be a big one for our clients, not to help their customers, but to make blogging more convenient for them!
Of course, most consumer companies are already down this path so some of this may be redundant to you. Which mobile areas are you focused for 2011?