Mobile marketing lacks industry collaboration: Motricity survey

By Giselle Abramovich

June 13, 2008

Steve Leonard is general manager of off-deck at Motricity

While there’s significant interest in mobile marketing, the channel will not realize its potential for growth until there is greater collaboration across the mobile ecosystem.

That was the key finding of a survey of mobile marketing executives attending the first day of the Mobile Marketing Association’s Mobile Marketing Forum June 10-11 in New York. The survey, which polled representatives from advertising agencies, content providers, aggregators, technology providers and wireless operators, was completed by 129 conferences attendees.

“The clear takeaway from this study is that the mobile marketing channel is not very big in terms of the dollar signs,” said Steve Leonard, general manager of off-deck at Motricity, Bellevue, WA. “We need to get the brands and the carriers together to understand what it is we need to do for transparency into data.

“Without this transparency it is hard to market relevant information,” he said. “Mobile’s double opt-in standard limits your opportunity to market even more. You have to have a call to action and have people opt in. We need greater visibility and easier ways for brands to reach consumers."

Participants in the study said they need greater visibility and transparency into data to offer targeted content to subscribers at the right place and at the right time.

Forty-nine percent of executives from content providers and 36 percent of integrators and aggregators noted that targeting and demographics are most critical to effective mobile marketing campaign management. 

Also, 23 percent of executives from wireless carriers felt that content customization and personalization are key drivers to increase mobile marketing.

Agencies believe in opt-ins. In fact, 48 percent said that opt-ins or registrations are most important in demonstrating the return on investment of mobile marketing campaigns.

Motricity also found that 43 percent of respondents are clearly focused on technology that provides visibility into and performance of the effectiveness mobile marketing campaigns.

The survey found 40 percent of mobile marketing agency representatives said their agencies currently spend less than 2 percent on mobile marketing initiatives. One-third of the same group expects to increase spend by more than 25 percent next year. 

Also, 71 percent of the content providers and 58 percent of technology providers polled said that advertisers aren’t using mobile marketing and advertising because the mobile marketing channel has not developed enough.

“The only way to be successful in mobile marketing is to do it,” Mr. Leonard said. “Grow your strategy and put money into mobile. Don’t just do trials.

“Build a clear strategy and increase communications via conferences,” he said. “Work with the people in the ecosystem. That’s what it’s going to take to expand the market and opportunity.

"Lastly, pick a well-established technology partner with an innovative and scalable technology with experience and breadth of knowledge.”