Entertainment and media brands need to focus on what matters to consumers, which is an omnichannel approach that encompasses all content on all devices with an effective user experience based off of data analysis. Content providers must incorporate mobile content in a multi-platform strategy, as this will most likely be the basis of the future. 

"With [mobile internet] penetration at extremely high levels and still growing quickly in the US, marketers need to take notice," said Dan Hays, principal at US Wireless, PwC. "The US had the world?s second-largest total number of mobile Internet subscribers in 2014, with its 232.6 million subscribers trailing only China in sheer size.

"The combination of raw market size, penetration, and average incomes mean that the US is likely to be leading the way in the use of mobile and the opportunity for mobile marketing for years to come," he said.  

Omni-channel society
Digital advertising is growing tremendously, especially in mobile and video Internet advertising. Viewers are evolving from usual network viewing through television to digital and mobile, meaning it is imperative for media and entertainment companies to include a multi-platform approach to access consumers. 

Entertainment consumers are leaning towards an on-demand attitude for consuming content. The availability of this on-demand content is causing television subscriptions to decline, expected to fall from 79.5 percent in 2012 to 76.9 percent in 2016.

Magazines and books are more successful on a digital than newspapers. Digital book revenue is believed to reach 45 percent of total book revenue by 2019. 

Although on-demand content is rising research shows that music listeners are leaning towards streaming music rather than downloading and is expected to transcend downloading in 2018. 

The shift of viewership to mobile means that publishers and networks alike must continue to strive to create an omnichannel experience for consumers. Within the next few years, every American will have a data-enabled smartphone, and marketers need to be wary of this. 

Consumers want to be able to take their content on the go, wherever they want in a seamless manner. A consumer?s journey is highly personalized in the mobile era, which makes it imperative for content creators to make their content available wherever the viewer wants. 

These consumer demands means that publishers and media brands must incorporate mobile content, as well as desktop and digital, giving the consumer the option to view content wherever they choose, is vital. It also signifies a need in the change of a ratings system, as more content is viewed on mobile and digital, it is imperative content providers pay attention to this data and where the content is being consumed. 

Advertisers are following consumers as they make their transition to mobile, which means the networks and publishers must follow as well.  

Mobile browsing has now become the dominant platform for Americans using the internet and is projected to grow to 6 times as fast as fixed broadbrand access in the next four years. Mobile Internet advertising in the U.S. is projected to grow at a 25.6 percent compound annual growth rate. 

In 2014, mobile Internet advertising surpassed Internet display advertising and will likely become the leading advertising category by 2016. Total Internet advertising in the past year was brought in through mobile 25.2 percent, rising 75.8 percent in 2014. 

Publisher mobile advertising
For publishers mobile is a highly effective platform to access consumers, but accessing data and adjusting to reader behavior is crucial, especially when it comes to advertising. A recent alliance is aiding publishers in the advertising facet in the mobile age. 

Executives from Reuters and Unbound at the IAB Advertising Technology Marketplace Spotlight: Programmatic conference, explained how the focus of the recently launched Pangaea Alliance is on using programmatic data to create ad content that generates trust and transparency for advertisers, especially with mobile (see more). 

A successful example of testing advertising through publishers and networks through mobile is Pandora?s recent advertising test. The jewelry chain saw upbeat results from a trial of an ad format offered by Hearst Magazines UK that provides a range of interactive features while combining storytelling with a mobile native user experience (see more). 

"With more mobile Internet customers entering the market and costs declining, the time is right for media and entertainment companies to focus on capturing the large base of subscribers with attractive offerings," Mr. Hays said. "Just as many Internet companies have shifted to be mobile first in their customer engagement, media and entertainment companies should be thinking about the same. 

"Mobile customers captured today are likely to be the revenue base of the future, so establishing mechanisms to get them engaged and subscribed are critical for content providers," he said. "Similarly, as Internet companies have often evolved their business models as adoption has grown, the approach for the delivery of mobile conten, whether ad-supported, subscription, pay-per-view, or otherwise, will likely change significantly over the years to come."

Final take
Brielle Jaekel is editorial assistant at Mobile Marketer