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Time Inc. exec discusses CNNMoney.com mobile strategy

A Time Inc. executive discussed CNNMoney.com's mobile strategy in an exclusive interview with Mobile Marketer.

CNNMoney.com launched its first application for Research In Motion?s BlackBerry last week, available now for free in the AppWorld store. The BlackBerry application joins a number of existing ways to access CNNMoney.com mobile content, including an iPhone application, text updates and mobile site. 

?We?ve steadily seen our mobile Web traffic go up, and we want to make sure we?re reaching people across platforms and devices from sunrise to sunset,? said John Cantarella, president of digital for the news and sports group at Time Inc., New York. ?People are very particular about how they consume information and we want to make sure we?re with them every step of the way.

?BlackBerry is a significant portion of our mobile Web audience?it?s a very significant platform along with iPhone and Android,? he said. ?BlackBerry is important from a business decision-maker standpoint?there is a much smaller percentage of gaming apps in BlackBerry App World and more business enterprise apps.

?Enterprise users are our audience, and those people are coming to our mobile Web site, but this offers them a device-specific optimized experience.?

Time Inc. is a major subsidiary of the media conglomerate Time Warner that publishes 130 magazines.

CNNMoney.com claims to be the world's largest business Web site with more than 10 million monthly unique visitors. It is the online home of Fortune and Money, and serves as CNN.com's exclusive business site.

Mo(bile) money
CNNMoney formatted the BlackBerry application?s editorial features and content with busy executives in mind.

Designed to be read on the go, the features of CNNMoney.com BlackBerry application, available in App World, include:

? Ability to customize news you receive from CNNMoney.com      

? Deliver CNNMoney updates from the application into users? email       

? Stay connected to breaking news from CNNMoney.com       

? View and search stock/company quotes       

? Keep track of users? personal stocks data      

? View CNNMoney.com articles in a reader-friendly mobile format       

? Sleek header icon blinks upon new receipt of CNNMoney.com updates.

Business class
With this application, CNNMoney.com is targeting senior management, the professional managerial class, senior executives, business decision-makers and influencers.

In terms of age, CNNMoney.com is trying to reach well educated consumers ages 18-54.

The median age of CNNMoney.com is in the 40s, skewing more male than female. The site has a large at-work audience as well.

Multiplatform mobile presence
Last July, CNNMoney.com launched an application for Apple?s iPhone and iPod touch (see story).

?Our iPhone app has seen a strong number of downloads,? Mr. Cantarella said. ?It has a very active and engaged audience.?

According to Nielsen, CNNMoney.com?s mobile Web site received 2.8 million unique visitors and 20 million page views in March.

Advertisers looking to run campaigns within CNNMoney.com?s mobile properties can bundle mobile as part of a multichannel buy or run mobile-only campaigns.

?Our ad inventory can be bundled together in many ways,? Mr. Cantarella said. ?If they?re buying on the Web, they can add mobile, but they can also make mobile-only buys.

?Popular mobile ad units that we offer include banners and prestitials as the app is loading,? he said. ?We have seen strong interest from advertisers in the BlackBerry app because it reaches a very desirable demographic.?

Time Inc. is using various tactics to get the word out about the CNNMoney.com BlackBerry application.

?For any launch we do, we run an integrated marketing program,? Mr. Cantarella said. ?We use our sister company titles across Time Inc.?s print, online and mobile assets?Time Magazine, Fortune Magazine, Sports Illustrated and our sister site CNN.

?If you visit our mobile Web site on an iPhone or a BlackBerry, we say ?Download our app,?? he said. ?We use our mobile house inventory, including print and digital, mobile apps and mobile Web properties, and we also work with our partners like RIM to get promotion in App World.

?The mobile space is still in its infancy?there?s so much more to be done, and you?ll see a lot of innovation over the next 6 to 12 months.?