Email's importance in the computer-based world will migrate to the mobile channel as more consumers move into mobile messaging. Business-to-consumer markets will struggle less in 2008 as they better understand the application of mobile email to their marketing mix, says Tricia Robinson, vice president of product and market strategy for StrongMail Systems Inc., a Redwood Shores, CA-based marketing and transactional email software and server specialist.

Content optimization is the next frontier, Ms. Robinson tells Mobile Marketer's Reva McEachern in this interview. Here is the dialogue.

How will 2008 differ from 2007 in the mobile email sector?
We'll see more marketers adding mobile email to their marketing mix. JupiterResearch reports that only 27 percent of the U.S. population is using SMS/text messaging, up from the previous year. As we see more consumers move into mobile messaging, the mobile marketing segment will grow in correspondence.

What's your forecast on the key mobile email trend for 2008?
Testing. We'll see more testing of mobile marketing to determine where it fits in their own marketing mix and if it should be a part of a larger integrated strategy.

What's the implication of this trend for marketers?
More text messaging and the establishment of sending and response benchmark data.

What were some key developments in the mobile email sector in 2007?
Business application of the channel. Most business-to-consumer marketers struggled with how to apply the channel to their business model. Not all have yet, but for those that have an application we'll start to see testing take over.

Who are the key players for 2008?
Mobile users, Clickatell, Sybase 365 and Vibes Media will be key players in 2008.

What challenges do you think mobile email faces in 2008 insofar as legal/privacy issues?
Possible stricter FTC guidelines are not out of the question, but data privacy and security of enterprise customer data is the bigger issue.

What is the outlook for mobile email applications and mobile Internet email for 2008?
Content optimization is the next frontier. For emailers that still spray-and-pray and show little device segmentation, the mobile experience will not be a positive one.

Content must be optimized by device. Desktop-optimized email marketing needs handheld-viewing-encouragement language at the top of every message and mobile email triaging will continue to rise. So keep the "From" line recognizable and the "Subject" line relevant and engaging.

Is one trend stronger than the other?
Per-device content optimization is the strongest mobile email trend.

What is the one thing marketers should do in 2008 to successfully take advantage of mobile email opportunities?
Start with the handheld-viewing-encouragement language at the top of every message and a link to a simple version or deliver a standalone text message.

After desktop-optimized content is addressed, start collecting device preference and type to include in your customer-content database. Then content can be customized automatically based on customer contact and device preferences.