As more marketers move from one-off mobile campaigns focused on brand awareness to delivering ongoing campaigns aimed at driving customer engagement and loyalty, there is more emphasis on permission-based marketing as a way to kick off and continue a conversation with consumers -- on their terms.
The timing of this shift in strategy is interesting, and no doubt driven by two factors: the concern of individuals about their personal privacy and the desire of brands to conduct an ongoing dialogue with people who -- because they opted in -- are likely to appreciate the advertising they receive.
The mobile app economy is growing, mobile commerce is exploding and the value chain is crowding as mobile operators, credit card companies, financial institutions, and Web giants such as Google jockey for position.
If this week's hot news is any indication, then the industry is indeed in for a roller coaster ride as mobile payments (for everything, not just apps) becomes the next big battlefield.
Mobile Marketer tells us that American Express has taken the wraps off its Serve digital payment and commerce platform, offering person-to-person, online, mobile and traditional card capabilities in a single account. The Wall Street Journal (via MoCoNews) reports that Google is building out its plans to push contactless payments (using near-field communications or NFC technology). Google has been talking up NFC for several months now, but now it's also got MasterCard and Citigroup on board. And the list goes on.
Twitter is on the move, continuously launching features to enhance the advertising experience on Twitter. (Last week Twitter took the wraps off a beta service that will allow brands to target Promoted Tweets–the ad units that are actually Twitter messages–by country.) But what are the rules of engagement and to what extent (if any) should we promote goods and services in our Twitter stream? Ken Herron, social marketing authority and CMO at social applications and solutions company SocialGrow Inc., is back with a dose of valuable - and practical advice.
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#DearKen What are the pros and cons of sticking ads in your Twitter feed, and what is there to consider?
March 28, 2011
Posted in #DearKen, Mobile Social Media | 3 Comments »
Apple, Google and Nokia and Blackberry are bent on embedding contactless payment technology (NFC) into their devices, thus making it possible for consumers to buy goods and services in physical shops and locations.
Each OEM is at a different stage on their experimentation with this technology. Nokia already offers several devices that support NFC; Apple is going ahead with its own NFC initiative; Google claims it will support mobile payments (via NFC) in the near future; and Blackberry has said it will support NFC in devices going forward.
Always wary of those who hype the benefits of mobile, I was struck by the keynotes I heard at the CTIA Wireless Show and the assertions that mobile is dramatically improving healthcare and key to keeping the U.S. competitive in global business.
The keynote delivered by Julius Genachowski, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, was direct. In his view, the U.S. faces fierce battles for mobile innovation leadership.
March 25, 2011
Posted in Mobile Health, Mobile Marketing | 1 Comment »
The heartbreaking images from Japan are difficult to view even if you don't have friends or family in the region. We experienced a similar anguish when we saw the destruction following the earthquake in Haiti. It prompted us to use our mobile phones to donate more than $43 million for relief efforts and marked a milestone in mobile giving.
For many, it was the first donation to a cause -- ever. In fact, the American Red Cross reports that more than 90 percent of the donors for Haiti were new to the organization, showing how mobile can extend the reach of giving.
March 18, 2011
Posted in Mobile Giving, Mobile Marketing | 1 Comment »
