Mobile Marketing Blog by InMovil Media

There is porpular mobile search service, called Google SMS, which lets people find businesses by texting names and locations to a short code: Those who know about it utilize it to its full potential; however users are still a minority among cell phone owners.

The latest search engine reports indicate mobile search is becoming the hot new space–for investors, advertisiers, and consumers alike. It seems everyone likes the idea of mobile search even if they don’t use it much themselves. Altough Google’s service is free and gets the job done, other companies are seeking ways to improve, leverage, and monetize mobile search.

A Forbes report suggests that that the real benefit from the carefully-watched potential Microsoft-Yahoo! merger would be for mobile search.

Microsoft’s Mobile Windows is pre-installed on a vast number of handsets while Yahoo! has worked with providers and carriers to put their mobile search engine and utilities into phone software. Therefore this merger could mean a significant mobile search engine presence for both companies, as Current Analysis analyst Avi Greengart told Forbes: “If you’re looking for where a tie-up could occur, that’s one place.”

The incentive for MicroHoo or anyone else to dominate mobile search is high. Most of all, digital marketers are waiting for the technology to reach its full potential. A report from Scarborough Research, conculded that the “Digital Savvy” consumer is an active one who relies on his or her mobile phone for information–and tends to have money to burn. eMarketer predicts that global mobile search revenue will grow to $3.77 billion in 2012 from $83.3 million in 2007. Therefore the race is on to beat Google, altough it will be difficult because with its open Android platform and current mobile search engine, Google seems to be dominating mobile as well.

Contact us to see how we can get your business high up in the mobile search engines.

After having received more and more request from businesses that are interested in mobile 2D barcodes, I have devoted some time to give a practical explanation what 2D barcodes entail for making media interactive by using a mobile device.

To basic thing is to create the data matrix and QR codes (2D mobile barcode) to link print media to the mobile web. What does this mean?

It is now possible to make traditional print media interactive by linking it directly to the mobile web. Our solution generates a unique data matrix code and QR code for each mobile web page created related to the printed information or advertisement. This code can be printed on advertisements, magazine articles, or even posters to provide an immediate call to action. When the 2D mobile barcode is scanned with the camera of a mobile phone it links straight through to the related mobile webpage - where you can; get further information and register interest, to a competition entry, buy concert tickets or other products directly with the mobile phone.

Datamatrix and QR codes are 2D barcodes consisting of a totally unique pattern of black and white squares that act as a quick link through to a specific mobile web page. When using InMovil Media to create and publish QR codes, these codes are automatically generated and can then be printed wherever required. Once the codes are scanned by the mobile device, consumers can quickly and easily access promoted content any time and any where they are. And unlike SMS or MMS triggers it is a free service.

Adding Data matrix or QR codes to print media meets a market demand for offering an easy and effective way to facilitate instant customer interaction with consumers on the move for a truly interactive marketing campaign. For example a consumer, waiting for the bus, a train journey or simply reading a paper or magazine becomes more interesting with the ability to purchase products, respond to articles or enter competitions without having to be back in front of a PC and search again for the product or information. And for your business it does not only provides an immediate call to action but a new and effective way to directly measure the success of print campaigns. Besides print media the codes can also be put on your normal website, if you want that people bookmark you mobile version of the website via this barcode.

Consumers love the opportunity for instant response and discovery of what this new technology can provide. This adds a completely new dimension to print media, which from our experience is good news for marketing campaigns.

Contact us to see how we can help your business use 2D mobile barcodes in an interactive way.

To stay in the mobile marketing report sector of the Asian region I encountered the following report.

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com) has announced the addition of a Chinese Mobile Advertising Report to their offering.

This report incorporates the knowledge of an experienced and on-the-ground China-based research team with extensive interviews of over 35 leading industry players to deliver an insightful,  overview and analysis of China’s mobile marketing and advertising industry. It cuts through the hype of what will be possible when 3G is used to its full potential and the spin of officially released company statistics to reveal what opportunities genuinely exist in the chinese market, which companies are really making money with mobile marketng, and what challenges confront further industry growth.

Key features of the report include:

-Market Size and Growth Forecasts

-SMS, MMS, and WAP Push

-WAP, Mobile Search, and Mobile Video

-2D Barcode, LBS, and Mobile In-Game Ads

-Company Profiles of over 35 Major Industry Players

-Network and Platform Infrastructure Development Status

-Case Studies

China’s mobile marketing and advertsising sector, supported by a surge in the mobile subscriber base to over 530 mn and active WAP users to over 40 mn, is on track to grow  55% in 2008. Looking to take advantage of the mobile medium’s ability to deliver highly customized and segmented  mobile marketing campaigns, major brand names like Nike and Coca-Cola have also begun to spend significant resources to mobile advertising in China. At the same time, new mobile ad agencies and applications developers have emerged to drive market development.

More and robust growth in China’s mobile advertising market, faces a variety of challenges, including the ongoing delay in issuance of 3G licenses, stricter anti-spam and personal information security regulations, an operator-centric business environments, policy uncertainties, and a lack of established third-party monitoring and measurement organization.

With company profiles of the leading public and private companies in China that use mobile advertising, this report provides valuable strategic insights - particularly to enterprise, private equity, venture capital, and hedge fund investors, advertisers, ad agencies, and mobile advertising professionals - for successful engagement and investment in the industry.

Please contact us to help you to market your business in China with mobile marketing.