eMarketer » mobilegroove

NIELSEN SAYS MILLENNIAL MEDIA HAS THE BIGGEST MOBILE AD NETWORK IN THE US, MAYBE: the research firm released a list of the five mobile ad networks with the biggest reach in the US, but with the caveat that it's not standing behind the list with much confidence. Nielsen says it's difficult to measure reach with any real accuracy because publishers may use multiple networks on their sites, and if a publisher appears on a site at all, they'd get credit for all its visitors. Furthermore, the data came from the networks themselves, rather than an independent source. That said, the ranking of ad networks according to potential monthly visitors is: 1. Millennial Media: 45.6 million 2. Third Screen Media: 28.6 million 3. AdMob: 25.7 million 4. MSN Ad Network: 25.4 million 5. Jumptap: 23.4 million 6. Quattro Wireless: 23 million Source The bottom line: Nielsen's warning makes it hard to put a lot of faith in these numbers, but as the company itself pointed out, overall, they illustrate the reach mobile ad networks can now offer, alongside all of their other benefits like effective targeting. So, in some way, having the biggest reach isn't as important as having the right reach - that is, targeting the correct audience - for each advertiser. --- ADMOB TO SERVE UP ITS 100 BILLIONTH AD sometime over the weekend, the company said in an email. It's certainly a big number, reached in three years or so, and the company says it's now serving more than 8 billion impressions per month across its network. Source The bottom line: Admob continues to grow its number of impressions, but as the above point indicates, it's not all about quantity. Establishing significant inventory is important, but going forward, that won't be an issue, as the previous point shows. Effective targeting and other enhancements will be key to unlock the real potential of mobile advertising. --- MARKETERS ARE STILL SKEPTICAL ABOUT TWITTER, with just 8 percent saying they think it's a "very effective" promotional tool, while 50 percent say it's "somewhat effective". Consumers feel the same way, with half of them saying it's "not that effective" or "not at all effective" for promotions. Source

41 PERCENT OF CONSUMERS WILL MAKE SMART PHONES their next device, according to Yankee Group research. The report also reveals that trends within the smartphone ecosystem are shifting the balance of power between equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and operators. Yankee further suggests smartphones are the most competitive battleground in wireless today, and predicts U.S. penetration will reach 38 percent by 2013. More competitive device entrants, tighter budgets, and increased consumer expectations are factors that will force OEMs and operators to collaborate in order to grow. Source The bottom line: The proliferation of full-featured handsets and the advance of payment mechanisms (other than the ones operators offer) have created some tension, making this an interesting space to watch. It's also worth pointing out that, while 41 percent will choose smartphones, the majority (59 percent) of consumers are not going for smartphones as their next device, nor may they even care to upgrade. *** IDLE SCREEN TECHNOLOGY ENGAGES 82 PERCENT IN TRIAL by Celltick's LiveScreen Media platform. The Telefonica mobile operators group announced the launch of an innovative idle screen marketing solution, Livescreen Media, which broadcasts news, sports, business, entertainment and lifestyle teasers - as well as advertising messages directly to the mobile idle-screens. Movistar, the Mobile Phone Company from the Telefonica Group, tested the service as part of a six-month trial in Mar del Plata, Argentina, involving around 5,000 customers, and results showed 82 percent of users engaged with the new communication channel on the idle screen. The platform is also able to segment users based on location, handset type and areas of interest which are generated from tracking user response to idle screen messages. Revenue is generated from content downloads, subscription services and advertising fees. Source

After collecting a slew of stats for my recent presentation on the state of the mobile Web (at the invitation of Qualcomm), as well as background for my upcoming mobile search white papers and on-going mobile advertising projects (such as Mobile Advertising U.K.), I am well aware of the importance of critical and credible data points. To make the numbers easy to find, and even easier to understand, I will collect and share them here on a regular basis. U.K. MOBILE INTERNET: A new report from eMarketer - true to its name always an excellent source of mobile marketing stats and insights. U.K. Mobile Internet connects the dots in mobile user behavior. How many users are there? Between just 7.2 million and 17.4 million, depending on the report you read. But the report conclusion is hardly subject to interpretation: The mobile Web is "gaining ground in the U.K., and soon the audience will be large and broad enough to interest mainstream advertisers." Key drivers: iPhone and similar high-end devices, cool new apps, and improved usability. Still, more of the same are sorely needed to increase the number of people using the mobile Web.