Mobile Groove

In brief: An analysis on mobile search strengths and shortcomings based on some eye-opening usage stats presented at the recent Mobile Search Masterclass; a summary of key findings from MSG’s own mobile voice search white paper (examining how Google stacks up against ChaCha and Vlingo using Yahoo as the default search engine); and the business case for a new breed of mobile search tools (ranging from social search to SMS search to content verticals) PLUS news you may have missed from Alabot, an Indian company specialized in natural language and artificial intelligent applications which enable interactive, multi-lingual mobile search.

No matter how you look at it (and who you ask) mobile search, the model that has effectively retrofitted Internet search for mobile devices, is riddled with shortcomings This was the message that came across in the interviews I conducted for Mobile Advertising Research UK, the presentations I and other search authorities made during the recent Mobile Search Masterclass in London, and, more recently, in the mobile search assessment white paper (Pump Up The Volume: An Assessment of Voice-Enabled Web Search on the iPhone) I co-authored with Peggy Albright. (DOWNLOAD)

Is mobile search broken? More importantly, how can we fix it? These are the questions I put to a variety of executives representing companies from across the mobile search and advertising business ecosystem. Read between the lines, and their answers – along with my own conclusions – point to areas of improvement and opportunity in mobile search.

MOBILE ADVERTISING RESEARCH UK

Primary research and C-Level interviews with agencies, brands, operators and third-parties reveal mobile search is missing the mark. Their gripe: the poor quality of mobile search (specifically universal search powered by keyword queries and PageRank algorithms) is to blame for a lack of interest and investment in paid search advertising.

As a leading executive at a global brand put it: “Just between the two of us, our spend for search is by far not in the digits yet – and it won’t be….We do a lot in mobile, but the basics of search are not yet at the level of sophistication consumers would expect from us.”

At the other end of the spectrum, agencies are far from upbeat about the short-term outlook for mobile search. As one managing director at a mobile marketing agency put it: “Just the way the content is indexed prevents advertisers from creating a cohesive plan to integrate search in their [mobile] advertising strategies. There is just not the volume to get in and really do some targeted search [advertising], and that’s what brands want: to make advertising personal and relevant to every search the consumer makes.”

Where is the money in mobile advertising? Or more specifically: Where is MY money?

At European Mobile Media, a conference I chaired in Prague (congratulations to Mart Kikas, Business Development, CEE/CIS,Aspiro and Jan Rezab, CEO HungryMobile, for bringing together a quality cross-section of the mobile ecosystem to talk business, best practice and – most importantly – ask uncomfortable questions!), this was the question.

No surprise since we talk a lot about all the money to be made in mobile advertising – a discussion fuelled by over-hyped analyst forecasts, and excitement over a handful of super-cool mobile campaigns. But rather than ignore general discontent, Jonathan MacDonald (speaking with his Jonathan MacDonald Associates hat on) responded by changing his presentation on the fly, treating us to an insightful look at where the money is and how we can all get our share. Predictably, the presentation struck an important chord. (Jonathan and I cross paths on many podiums, and his presentations – which consistently force us to think outside the box – are always a highlight for me.)

The focus on the money during the conference brings me back to RingRing Media Ltd., an independent media agency headquartered in the U.K. whose client list and ad spending on their behalf (booking over $4.5 million in 8 months) is clear confirmation that mobile advertising is gathering traction among brands and content companies.

Put another way, the ecosystem is taking shape and companies are taking their share. Indeed, RingRing posted a particularly strong March, serving over 350 million ads and spending GBP350,000 on mobile Web advertising alone.

Excited by the stats and anxious to learn more about this company that is coming up to its first anniversary (formally founded and Angel funded to the tune of GBP300,000 May 2008), I caught up with Ben Tatton-Brown, RingRing Co-Founder & Managing Director, to dig into the numbers, delve into the details of the company’s new release ad-optimizer platform, and discuss where the money really is. (Thanks again to Tim Banks at infomob public relations for his prompt response in setting up the briefing!)

What do clients spend? What are the CTRs? And what are the options for publishers? Ben’s answers may surprise you.