Mobile Entertainment: Rush to mobile search begins- Mobile Marketing & SPAM

Wednesday, March 01, 2006

Mobile Entertainment: Rush to mobile search begins

Mobile Entertainment: Rush to mobile search begins

Is Mobile Search really the next great frontier? - I'm still reserving my final judgment on this one.

The right tool for the job.

My uncle Marvin was a fantastic carpenter and he was always fond of the saying, "Use the right tool for the job."

Don't use a tweezers when you need to tighten a lug nut and don't use a pair of plyers when you're trying to remove a splinter from your hand. We might same something similar about mobile search.

Don't use Google mobile when you need to type a lot, see a lot and might even want to print out what you find.

Google Mobile - Not for research

It is unlikely that consumers are going to do research from their mobile phone. The point being that people will use mobile search in a different mindset and with different goals in mind.

I can see using mobile search to check the movie times or find the nearest Thai restaurant - but I don't know that it will be done through Google or one of the other rapidly emerging mobile search companies. I see it more like this.

Consumers will use mobile Google to find the mobile website that has the best movie listings. They will then bookmark that site as one of the ones that they will return to frequently to get exactly the information they need. Consumers will wind up with a bookmark for movies, restaurants and train times. They will probably also have a link for Amazon mobile or maybe EBay Mobile (all the ringtones and content you want from a name you trust) and possibly a link to their favourite mobile games provider.

And once they have those links in their phone's bookmarks - they won't be doing general searches so often.

Mobile search while standing in the shop

Will consumer's really stand in the aisle at Walmart and try to tap in the make and model number of the television they are looking at to get a review and price comparison? Or will the ones who are Internet savvy enough to know this is possible have already done so and have done all their research on their PC at home and simply walk into the store with several printed pages to review? I know that's what I'm likely to do.

Oh yes - the money bit.

Musn't forget that the reason everyone is rushing to mobile search is that they think the Google Ad Sense model, paid search, pay-per-click and more are the next big frontier for marketers. But do you think so?

Mobile devices have tiny screens, no mouse and a poor user interface ( Blackberry's and PDA's exempted of course - but they are not truly mass market devices). Exactly how will a consumer view all of these search marketing options? How will they know to click through? Will all the marketing sufficiently degrade the search results they want to the point the system becomes unusable? I don't know. But I'd really be interested in running some independent usability and interest tests.

Maybe I'll grab my trusty Nokia 6230i an go sit in the park and research this to check my premise... Nah.... I'd rather sit here at my desk!

2 Comments:

Kim said...

It was interesting to see all the major search providers at the SES in NYC last week promoting there mobile services. Since I've got back I've had a look around to see if there are any mobile websites worth taking a look at, I found nothing.
The only bright outlook is the mobile airport guides that ipocket.tv are making at the moment. They look like the only people to be thinking of mobile as the future when most companies are thinking of mobile as an after thought. With pay per call on it's way maybe this will be the revenue generator that ipocket.tv are looking for.

4:59 PM

Digital Evangelist said...

Troy great post. Have been looking at Mobile Search now for few months and have to say that the ones that work will remember that to make money it has to be about answers rather than guesses. Thus I do not think that it will be one of the current firms that develops the solution.

First things first what will be needed is some great indexing, this will require editors and spiders who can go and collect the information on mobile specific sites.

Then we need to look at context of the search. Looking for a coffee shop in your own city is very different from looking for one in Amsterdam for example.

Then we have to ask just who is paying for this service and why. On the basis that I am looking for an answer rather than a guess I do not not my screen to be filled with adwords. If I am paying for the service I wish to go off portal, will my network allow this?

I have lots more but I think that can wait for a post on my blog very soon.

2:40 PM

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A few words about why we're here

Since consumers first started to use SMS marketers have had the idea of text message marekting or marketing sms - also known as mobile marketing. And since that time marketing sms messages have grown and changed and new technology like bluetooth marketing, marketing bluetooth style to phones in close proximity to an advertisers.

And since the e-mail spam scourge took over the media, people have worried that there will be mobile phone spam. Spam is just another way of saying that advertisers send unsolicited text message marketing, marketing sms, bluetooth marketing or any other form of mobile marketing - it's mobile phone spam. There are even guides on how to spam phone s.

Consumer Preference is about permission based marketing, permission marketing solution. If, as an advertiser you can execute permission based marketing campaigns then you can certainly find ways to benefit from mobile marketing. And permission starts with understanding the consumer marketing preference. If you can understand consumer marketing preference, then you can execute permission based marketing. And permission marketing is not mobile phone spam.

There are many mobile marketing company listings that can be found on the Internet - and most mobile marketing company websites will tell you how they focus on permission marketing. Make sure that the one you partner with does more than tell you about it on the website. Opt-in marketing starts with your traditional marketing soliciting for permission.

Yes - Mobile marketing starts with traditional marketing - print, web, radio, television - all of the old standards. Because before you can send the first message to a consumer, you must obtain their permission... and that means that you understand consumer marketing prefernce.

Please enjoy reading consumer-preference.com - and if you feel that there is a point I'm making you'd like to share - then put a link to it from your own site. And always feel free to leave comments!

Troy Norcross

About Me

Name: Troy Norcross

Location: London, United Kingdom

I believe very strongly that consumers have a right to privacy. Just because it is getting harder to reach consumers doesn't mean that marketers should be (or need be) more devious or more forceful in their attempts to reach us. In fact, quite the opposite. Many of us are happy to be contacted with relevant, timely, meaningful offers. But it's going to be on our terms. No longer victims of aggressive marketing, we want to participate in the process with trusted brands and partners. Come and hang out with me here on Consumer Preference and learn how as a consumer you can have more control than you thought - and, if you're a marketer, how you can reach people in an effective and respectful way. You can reach me at the email link below.

Mobile Marketing & SPAM

Wednesday, March 01, 2006