For any skeptics and/or critics out there that don’t believe that Mobile usage will surpass traditional web usage in the VERY near future.  I’m really sorry but you’re flat out wrong. The only thing keeping your hopes alive is that there are still plenty of companies, brands, and marketers doing mobile the wrong way, which leads to reduced usage.  I’d like to share with you some proof that when mobile is done right, with simple and clear call to actions, utilizing the existing tools in the market place (not reinventing the wheel) and providing interesting content in ways that everyone has a formatted experience on their phone, it’s a home run.

Below you will find some recent statistics from the MTV Video Music Awards (yes they don’t play videos any more, and yes they still give awards out for the videos that they don’t play.)  MTV, using clear call to actions on how to share your thoughts on existing social networks (rather than joining custom chat rooms and MTV Built technology) provided the right atmosphere to promote mobile usage to surpass traditional web usage and traffic.  See for yourself:

Key Aspects:

Sentiment
In the past we have all seen where the internet is used as more of a soap box than a conference table.  Where users come to anonymously complain and critique anything and everything.  In this case you are getting a sense of a micro network that existed for a short period of time, the end users from many different social networks and devices who all shared one thing in common, they all had thoughts on the VMAs and MTV guided them down the right avenue to focus all participation in specific areas.

Top Hashtags
For one of the celebrities to not be a top hashtag is significant.  The sum of the event was more than it’s pieces and that is the way that should be, but has not been in the past.  Truth of the matter is, historically it was a significant difference in percentage between the overall event and the show stopping moment.  Whether it was Madonna and Britney Spears kissing or Kanye West stealing the thunder from Taylor Swift, those moments often out shined the event 2:1.  Now last night’s event success was not because there wasn’t any big show stopping moments, because there was! When Beyonce announced to the world that she and her husband Jay-Z are expecting a child, tweets were rolling out at almost 6 thousand per minute.  Yet you’ll see that VMA is the higher ranked hashtag because of the planning and execution of MTV, but more importantly because of the evolution of the mobile user.

User Agents
Last but certainly not least.  The triumphant 44% mobile users brings a smile to my face.  Hats off to MTV for linking the TV Viewer with their mobile device to enhance the experience and participation.  This is a grade A example of knowing your brand, audience, and formulating a simple but extremely effective plan without reinventing the wheel.

At Mobile Card Cast, we have had a lot of success with QR Codes in campaigns and I believe it is because we use QR Codes the correct way, leaving no barrier to entry for any end users.

Here is the correct way to use a QR Code:
Step 1: Selecting a QR Code generator: It is not always best to use a free QR Code generator as they are limited in analytics, reporting and features. There are many QR Codes out there that allow you to change the destination URL at any time, and and also have your destination after scan dynamically based on specific conditions.  This is a Mobile Card Cast exclusive so you’ll have to reach out to me if you want to test drive those capabilities.

Step 2: Don’t let your QR Code be too big! There is a direct correlation between the amount of characters in the URL vs the size of the QR Code. If the URL you are trying to put behind the QR is – http://abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz.com/alphabetgame/loginpage.php then your code is going to need to contain 3x as much info as it needs to and it will reflect that in size and density. Use a short URL tool to shorten your URL down to make your QR Code less dense. This allows you to print it smaller, and gives QR Code readers a higher success rate at scanning.

Step 3: Don’t alienate any potential participants! Partner every QR Code with a text messaging component for those who have not yet adopted QR Codes, or perhaps do not have a phone with a QR Code reader. The last thing you’d want to do is to tell someone that they are not capable of interacting with you / your client.

Step 4: Clear call to action. On your marketing / advertising piece, make sure the call to action is VERY Clear. Scan this code with your phone to receive an exclusive deal, scan to win now, etc. And do not say “Use your smartphone…” this is a very common mistake, as there are more feature phones that can scan QR Codes than their are smartphones in the market.

Step 5: and this is optional, but you should include the opportunity for someone to download a reader, as QR Codes are being adopted by more and more consumers each day, there comes a point for each person converted to a user where they decide, “Ok, enough is enough and i’m going to get one of these apps to scan these codes.” On all of our pieces, we usually include, “Text READER to 88500 to download a QR Code reader today!” this is a keyword we set up for this very purpose, and we get about 13% of every campaign we run, uses this tool (over the past 2 months)

Last but certainly not least…. the thing that most QR Code users mess up…. Make sure your destination is Mobile Optimized! A QR Code is inherently mobile, so you should never have it link to a site or content that is not mobile optimized. If you’d like to see some mobile optimized sites, please go to (from your phone): www.Timex.com , www.RandRealty.com, www.DraftMag.com. I hope this helped, let me know if you’d like some specific case studies or metrics on recent QR Code campaigns.

Mike Batiste
V.P. of Business Development
Mobile Card Cast

If you are reading this, chances are that you were doing a search for Mobile Marketing Statistics, or something very similar.  We’ll let me save you a lot of time and energy… STOP.  Even if you are gathering information for one of your largest clients or for a big presentation, you are wasting your time, and the time of those you intend on sharing this information with.

Let’s jump back to the internet boom for a minute, especially since there is a large number of similarities between the internet boom and the mobile boom.  The usage, technology, demographics, and any other buzzwords within standard digital report, it all changes way too fast.  By the time a report comes out, it’s ancient.  The individual markets are adopting at rates never before seen or imagined.  You don’t need mobile stats because the people that you or your client are targeting are mobile users, I will make that bet everyday of the week.  What you really need to be looking for is mobile case studies.  See what has worked, and what has not.  The only thing keeping the 60 year old BlackBerry user from scanning a QR Code in the airport is that the offer is weak.

So please stop thinking that you’re going to figure out what campaign to run, or what is going to be successful by targeting a demographic that is heavy into mobile marketing because it’s all nonsense.  Make sure your offer is significant and legit, and that your call to action is crisp and clear.  If you put it in places that your target demo can see it, it will work.

Below you will see some interesting statistics on what people using the internet while watching TV are actually doing on the mobile web.  This article from Engadget does a phenomenal job of breaking it down but the thing you need to focus on here is that 86% OF PEOPLE WATCHING TV ARE USING THE MOBILE INTERNET…

If you advertise on TV and don’t have a mobile website, you’re doing it wrong.

If you advertise on TV and don’t have any sort of mobile presence within your ad, you’re doing it wrong.

The next time you’re planning the concept / script of your television ad, remember that 86% of the people you’re talking to will have their phones in their hands.

Full Article: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/29/study-shocker-mobile-users-piddle-around-on-the-internet-while/?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pulsenews

Mike Batiste

V.P. of Business Dev

Mobile Card Cast

Text MIKEB to 88500

As in any line of work, we are often met with the same few questions over and over again.  This is the “educational” portion of our line of work.  As time goes on, I will often allow different team members to internally answer the question(s), even if that same question has been asked for a long period of time.  Employees, friends, team members, etc. can often view things in a different light, or perhaps word things differently than you have for the past 3 years.  Every now and then, you can improve the verbiage that you regurgitate on a daily basis and perhaps take for granted.   Recently, a new team member hit the nail on the head.  Thanks to Joe Formica for the following information:

Why does my company need a mobile website?

The rapid expansion of mobile devices and their capabilities opens a door to capitalize on a unique and nearly limitless way to reach an audience.  Attaining this level of mobile involvement first requires a break from the idea that the internet is the same whether it is accessed by a desktop or mobile device.  By accepting the uniquely direct nature of mobile, it is also critical to respect the mobile internet as a new medium.  The size, performance, and accessibility of the mobile web require a complete re-evaluation of the user experience, something that cannot be done by assuming that your website will automatically transfer to mobile.  Neglecting the experience and appearance of the mobile web is the equivalent of assuming that a billboard advertisement can translate to a magazine print advertisement with no modification.  There would be many aspects of the billboard that would not convert, including size, the context in which they were viewed, and the overall experience of the audience.

The mobile web can be harnessed as an incredibly useful tool with a proper analysis and execution of your audience’s desired mobile experience. However, if ignored, a huge opportunity to tap into a quickly growing market is wasted.  Mobile internet usage is soon to surpass traditional internet usage.  Does your website work on Mobile Phones?

What content should I display on my mobile site?

Once you have decided that it is time for your organization to have a mobile presence, it is important to choose how that presence will be communicated to potential users.  Your mobile site is a great opportunity for your organization to look inward at the most important parts of your website, and prioritize what information is most likely to be sought after by a mobile user.  At Mobile Card Cast, we will work with you step by step with creative, logistics, and support to make sure your mobile site offers the best user experience possible.  Mobile is an inherently instant, convenient medium; therefore it is essential to reduce the amount of clicks and hoops a user must jump through to get the information they need.

Here are some tips for your company to consider when formatting your site for mobile use.

• First and foremost, less is more! Complex designs, layouts, and graphics may look great on a desktop; however the experience is lost in the translation to a small screen and long load times of a mobile device.

• Reduce the amount of large images and Flash graphics. This will allow the site to load quickly, even on a slow mobile connection.
• Reduce advertisements, and if possible eliminate them completely. If your site depends on ads, it is best to make sure they load quickly, and that a user is unlikely to accidentally click on one that will direct them away from your page.
• Minimize scrolling and zooming for a user. The biggest problem with non-formatted sites on mobile is the inordinate amount of time scrolling around the page to read text and search for links.  This tedious process voids the best asset of mobile- convenience.
• Create large, visible buttons and text. Once you prioritize your information, you must present it to the users in a way that is easy to read and navigate even on a tiny mobile screen.  Big, clearly labeled buttons will minimize mistakes and time wasted by a user searching for links or struggling to click the one they need.
• Consider why users would visit your site from a mobile device. Although a lengthy mission statement or company description may be a nice introduction to your website, it may inconvenience a user looking for quick, on the go information.  Sacrifice some lengthy displays for time sensitive information, contact listing, and location information in the conversion to mobile.

By considering these tips in the evaluation of your website, our experts can create a mobile site that combines efficiency with the unique components of your business.  Together, we can deliver a mobile presence that will position your business in the forefront of the mobile population.

Joseph Formica

Mobile Card Cast

For the next Ten on Tuesday Post we will feature a guest writer. Joe Formica will be showcasing his thoughts on Mobile and I promise you will enjoy the fresh take on the subject.

The following is a question that was asked on LinkedIn in the Mobile Marketing category.  My answer, which was marked as the “Best Answer,” will follow.

Is an iPhone app right for you business?

What are your thoughts on one of MarketingSherpa’s latest studies?

SUMMARY: Apps for the iPhone have generated considerable buzz in the consumer world, but do they have a place in a B2B marketing strategy? The answer depends on several key factors, including the nature of your audience and the functionality you can provide through an app.

http://www.marketingsherpa.com/article.php?ident=31694

In May of 2010, Nielson released a study on internet usage by category from American Mobile Devices.  As many similar studies will be released over the next couple of months, I wanted to showcase how significant the numbers were in May of 2010, as they will be substantially higher in the new studies.

Here is a link to the original article: http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online_mobile/how-americans-spend-mobile-internet-time-a-new-look/

Local Restaurant in Valhalla, NY uses Mobile Web

Mobile Web Goes Mainstream

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The mobile web has been the dominant subject in web design for the past 2+ years. A quick peek at Dribbble, a social media site where designers share their projects, will show you that many of us are working on mobile device apps and interfaces.

However, it’s still safe to say that most websites have given little to no attention to their mobile web presence. Most of the innovative mobile device web designs we’re seeing are on big, industry-leading, tech-centric sites such as Amazon.com, Google, and Digg, or niche sites targeted toward web designers (such as A List Apart).

Where we’re not seeing mobile web design implementations are in run-of-the-mill company and corporate sites. Small- and medium-sized businesses, Fortune 500 companies, and government websites are sadly falling behind instead of in line.

Read More at: http://mashable.com/2010/12/30/web-design-predictions/

Mike Batiste

VP of Business Development

www.MobileCardCast.com

Text MIKEB to 88500

Often times when I’m speaking to new clients, and talking about the true power of SMS marketing they reference their e-mail list.  Perhaps I’m just too close to these forms of marketing but is it not common knowledge that most reports say that the open ratio on e-mail marketing is below 15 or 5 percent?  Listen, I know it was hard work to build that e-mail database, and chances are you did it yourself so there is also a bit of pride that goes along with it.  Please just understand that it’s not the best way for you to put butts in the seat, or hands on the counter.  It’s just one tool, that peaked a long time ago.

Now I’ll put my money where my mouth is because I’ve actually done this following experiment on numerous occasions and I have won every single time.  Invest the tiny amount of money needed to start a text club.  Let a professional help you build it the right way, with the right message and the right offer.  Let’s build it until you have 100 people in your text club for every 10,000 in your e-mail database.  Let’s send em both the offer and see which drives more traffic.  I’ve won this bet with 75 texters vs 32,000 e-mail recipients.

“It’s all in how you use it.”  Think about that statement, it goes both ways.  Not just how YOU use your e-mail marketing, but more how your consumers use their e-mail.  Think how you personally use that one account, that you never really check, probably an old AOL or Hotmail account.  Thats who you’re marketing to.  Now think how you use your mobile device…  see where i’m going?  No more of this once a week blast, just build a text club and only text them when it’s truly important.  They will respond exactly how you want them to if you do it right.

Mike Batiste

V.P. of Business Development

Mobile Card Cast

www.MobileCardCast.com

Text MIKEB to 88500