[I:http://yourmobileinfo.info/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/AlexSpeirs13.jpg]Mobile. It is one of today’s most formidable and successful marketing tools. Mobile is innovative, it is evolving rapidly, and it holds a wealth of potential for future development and success. However, as one of the world’s leading advertising markets, it holds a certain degree of ambiguity when it comes to defining it. That is to say, is mobile a medium, or is it merely a strategy?

Whilst the question may appear somewhat trivial, if we breakdown the potential definitions, we will see just how different the implications could be in defining the global phenomenon of mobile.

* A “medium” can be defined as “a publication or broadcast that carries advertising” or “a channel or system of communication, information, or entertainment.”

* A “strategy” can be defined as “a method or plan chosen to bring about a desired future, such as achievement of a goal or solution to a problem.” Alternatively, “The art and science of planning and marshalling resources for their most efficient and effective use.”

If we look at the definitions at hand, then it is safe to say that there are definitely strategies taking place within mobile, and more especially, strategies designed specifically for mobile. In saying this though, I believe there is room to stress that the strategies are designed for mobile.

I myself use both terms when discussing mobile commerce, however, I often break down my use of the terms based upon certain elements. I personally see mobile marketing as a medium. Like Television, Radio, Signage, Print, Internet and so on, Mobile is an independent channel through which advertising campaigns can be undertaken. I believe the term “strategy” refers mostly to the specific and unique thinking, planning, and resources attributed with an advertising campaign. In the case of mobile, marketers will develop a strategy with mobile as the medium, and therefore, the strategy is a mobile strategy. “Mobile” is termed “mobile” because of the devices in which campaigns are executed. Cell phones, Smartphones, Blackberrys, Tablets, the list goes on, but what all of these devices clearly trigger in the mind is a sense of mobility. It is my belief that this mobility defines the medium as “mobile,” and as this medium is “mobile,” marketers have to establish strategies specifically in order to achieve the desired outcomes from this medium.

Of course, defining Mobile as a “medium” or a “strategy” is far more than toying with semantics. I propose that to define mobile as merely a “strategy” would seriously demean its legitimacy as an advertising agent. Mobile is one of today’s most dominant, successful and global advertising solutions. It is constantly adapting and evolving to suit customer demands and is revolutionising the world of commerce. Somehow, I do not believe a “strategy” could be credited for this. Mobile advertising is a medium, through which communications, entertainment, information, video, photos, social networking and so much more can be relayed. It is a medium that has brought the world of commerce into a new era, and a medium that continues to push the imagination of the mobile marketing world.

This article was written by Alex Speirs of TXT2GET, a leading mobile marketing company. TXT2GET supply affordable SMS keywords that typically increase advertising response by 2-3x. SMS keywords also bring measurability & accountability to advertising, because you can see the exact time and date that responses come in. Click on the link to get advice on how mobile marketing can improve your business’ advertising.

[I:http://yourmobileinfo.info/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/AlexSpeirs0.jpg]Mobile marketing may be one of our most promising and rapidly developing industries, but it does not come without some rather gritty challenges for first time users. Mobile marketing is expanding, and there is more and more impetus on companies to get on board, and do it right. So for those new to mobile marketing, what are its main challenges?

The ‘secret’ is that mobile marketing is not too different from other marketing and advertising. The first steps will always be careful, quality planning. Clearly defining your target demographic is the solid base of good mobile marketing. Different target audiences need different mobile marketing features: such as different calls-to-action, transmission frequencies, and media platforms. The advantage of mobile marketing over other forms of advertising is that it allows for tailored advertising, focused more on the individual customer.

One other challenge facing those new to mobile marketing is mobile fragmentation. With a wide range of specifications, protocols, and devices used around the world in mobile marketing, it can be difficult to determine the most appropriate device(s) to carry a promotion. Hint: region profiling helps it helps you determine how your new mobile marketing campaign should be carried out.

A challenge facing mobile marketing today is mobile fragmentation. With such a wide range of mobile devices (Android, iPhone, iPad, Windows, Nokia, Samsung… the list goes on), it is impossible for marketers to use the same strategy each time. For those new to mobile marketing, sticking to research findings about your location and target demographic will help you choose which device to optimise for.

Although mobile marketing may appear challenging at first, many of the issues are just rehashed struggles of any kind of advertising. By adapting general marketing principles to the nuances of mobile marketing, those new to the game may find that it’s easier than they expect. Let us know!

This article was written by Alex Speirs of TXT2GET, a leading mobile marketing company. TXT2GET supply affordable SMS keywords to advertising to typically increase results by 2-3x. SMS keywords also bring measurability & accountability to advertising, because you can see the exact time and date that responses come in. Click on the link to read our tips on how mobile marketing can improve your business’ advertising.

[I:http://yourmobileinfo.info/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/EmmaRoseSmith22.jpg]NZ: A new McDonald’s store in Wellington encouraged foot traffic through use of a radio and SMS marketing campaign. During the campaign, just under 12,000 customers came into the store per week- about 2800 more customers than the average for pre-existing McDonald’s restaurants! What a win for McDonald’s and SMS marketing alike.

To promote the new restaurant, advertisements with an SMS marketing call-to-action were broadcast on Wellington radio. The offer was for mobile phone coupons, redeemable at the new store. To receive it, listeners simply had to text in. The menu items given away ranged from McMuffins and sundaes, to Big Macs or McChicken meals. Blair Wilson, Operations Manager at the new store, explains that the SMS marketing campaign’s results exceeded his expectations.

“The guest counts during the promotional period far exceeded our expectations with 11,739 customers coming to the store that week. This is approximately 2800 more than an average week.”

Radio and SMS marketing also translated to high revenue for the new McDonald’s restaurant, as well as more foot traffic than that seen in pre-existing McDonald’s restaurants.

The new McDonald’s store had another need: to recruit around 50 staff members. They ran another radio and SMS marketing campaign to find quality staff members. To submit their resume, listeners to the radio advertisement could text in to receive a link to a McDonald’s Web page. From there, they could upload a resume. Wilson explains that recruiting staff by text message was new territory in SMS marketing, but it paid off.

“Using this method (SMS marketing), we had approximately 600 applications for positions in two weeks. We had the same amount of applications over a nine month period at the Johnsonville store.”

This McDonald’s case study demonstrates the many uses of SMS marketing. Mobile coupons are already a popular form of SMS marketing, and in this campaign they made it as easy as possible for McDonald’s listeners to connect to their advertising. In contrast, the SMS-to-recruit strategy was an entirely new dimension of SMS marketing, and its use here tells us that there are many other possibilities still out there. So what’s next? SMS-to-pay maybe?

This article was written by Emma Smith of TXT2GET, a leading SMS marketing company. TXT2GET supply affordable SMS keywords that typically increase ad response by 2-3x. SMS keywords also bring measurability & accountability to advertising, because you can see the exact time and date that responses come in. Click on the link to get free advice on how SMS marketing can improve your business’ advertising.

[I:http://yourmobileinfo.info/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/EmmaRoseSmith10.jpg]A recently released Ericsson report found 35% of US Android and iPhone users interact with an app before arising from bed in the morning.

According to the report, which was presented at Ericsson Business Innovation Forum in Silicon Valley on May 11, Facebook is one of the most common apps used. This should come as no surprise to anyone: 18% of the users surveyed logged in to Facebook upon waking. What does this report mean for mobile marketing?

Most interestingly, the study tells us that when communicating with customers, mobile marketing content is more important than the actual mode of communication. The decreased importance of communication vessel is one feature of digital media that will support the use of mobile marketing: while just having a mobile phone used to be enough, now a huge focal point is what the phone can do apart from calling and texting. Apps and the mobile Web are being used socially more and more, and they can also be the channel for successful mobile marketing campaigns. Ericsson also went into the implications of their report for mobile marketing apps:

“Consumers today depend less on the devices they use, and more on the apps that help them… to find a place to eat, organize their family schedules and other everyday activities. The app culture is turning into a new way of living.”

Compared to other apps such as those for Red Bull, Absolut Vodka and Nike, Facebook’s app isn’t classified as mobile marketing because it doesn’t market a specific product or service. However, the prevalence of app usage while still in bed signals that we are engaging in new ways with our mobile devices. When people find themselves near-constantly connected to apps and the mobile Web, mobile marketing is no longer just a peripheral marketing technique. Mobile marketing activities (such as apps, mobile Web sites, and SMS marketing) are now, for many of us, a part of daily life.

This article was written by Emma Smith of TXT2GET, a leading mobile marketing company. TXT2GET supply affordable SMS keywords that typically increase ad response by 2-3x. SMS keywords also bring measurability & accountability to advertising, because you can see the exact time and date that responses come in. Click on the link to get free advice on how mobile marketing can improve your business’ advertising.

[I:http://yourmobileinfo.info/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/AngelaMabey43.jpg]Generation Y are leading the charge towards a mobile centred world: a report confirms what those in mobile marketing have theorised for a long time. The report concluded that Generation Y mobile users are the key consumer group in mobile marketing adoption, having the technology available to them, and expecting businesses to utilise it in their interactions with them.

The Forrester report found that 23% of Americans aged 18-44 own a smartphone. Across all age groups, 17% own a smartphone; a jump of over 11% since one year ago.

Both Generation Y and X consumers are more likely to have adopted smartphone technology and unlimited data plans, providing the tools needed to lead in mobile marketing and mobile Internet adoption, according to the report. The report also concludes that consumers aged 18-44 will continue to drive the adoption of mobile tools, an important insight for mobile marketing.

Researchers found that the Gen Y group “live” for longer amounts of time on their phones, with 85% of this group regularly sending and receiving text messages. The overall rate is 57% of all US consumers over 18. This is particularly significant for the most popular form of mobile marketing: SMS. If people are comfortable using SMS for social purposes, they are more likely to do so for business and sales interactions also.

Generation Y users access social networks on their mobile devices at a rate of 27%, compared to 14% of all US consumers. 32% of Generation Y access the mobile Internet, compared to 23% of all US consumers.

Researchers warned that while it might be tempting for mobile marketing to only target Generation Y; older consumers are also adopting mobile use, just not as swiftly. The researchers concluded that while perhaps more work is required to communicate with older consumers via mobile marketing, they are increasingly mobile, with generally a higher rate of disposable income.

This article was written by Angela Mabey of TXT2GET, a leading mobile marketing company. TXT2GET supply affordable SMS keywords that typically increase ad response by 2-3x. SMS keywords also bring measurability & accountability to advertising, because you can see the exact time and date that responses come in. Click on the link to get advice on how mobile marketing can improve your business’ advertising.