Mobile is not primarily mobile in the sense of "on the go" - but most businesses treat the "mobile OS" activities like that. 7 early conclusions that help to get the right perspective in "mobile" digital marketing.

1. Mobile isn‘t mobile
and what this means for digital marketing
October 2012
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2. When we say “mobile“…
… most businesses think of this.
Image: http://responsivedesign.ca/blog/mobile-first-a-key-ingredient-in-great-responsive-design
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3. When we say “mobile“… should be thinking more of this ...
But we
… we think of this.
Image: http://www.superiormediasolutions.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/couch-shot_highres.jpg
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4. … and understand that it means significantly less of this.
Image: http://nearoptimal.net/pictures/random/AtHomeAtTheComputer.jpg
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5. The “mobile“ revolution
is a
device
and
user interface
revolution.
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6. Location is just one aspect.
Smartphone owners Smartphone owners
using their device at home using their device on the go
90+% 80+%
http://www.themobileindian.com/news/6387_97%25-Indians-use-smartphones-more-at-home:-Survey
http://smbmarketingtips.com/canada-mobile-consumer-smartphone-stats/
http://googlemobileads.blogspot.de/2011/04/smartphone-user-study-shows-mobile.html 6

7. And it‘s not the most important one.
Most top apps are not location-specific.
http://marketingland.com/mobile-apps-vs-the-mobile-web-it-doesnt-matter-to-consumers-8501
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8. We use “mobile“ on the couch.
When we say “mobile“, we mean “on potentially mobile devices“ – not “on the move“.
Smartphones and tablet lead consumption in leisure time – after 6 pm.
http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-of-the-day-mobile-and-pc-content-2012-9
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9. Desk vs. couch
is probably more meaningful
for mobile than
home vs. on the move.
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10. 94% of iPad online sessions
come from wireless LAN –
6% from cellular.
http://techcrunch.com/2012/03/23/wifi-rules-ok-only-6-of-ipad-sessions-come-from-cellular-networks/
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11. Traffic from “mobile“ explodes.
430% YoY growth – “time spent online“ is nowhere near that number.
http://www.kontera.com/about/news-item/mobile-eating-the-web-22-percent-of-web-content-now-consumed-on-devices#
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12. “Mobile“ growth
in online sessions and internet usage
is not entirely additional usage.
It decreases PC/Browser usage.
And we are just at the beginning.
http://www.kontera.com/about/news-item/mobile-eating-the-web-22-percent-of-web-content-now-consumed-on-devices#
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13. There are already
more smartphones sold than PCs.
Smartphone / tablet usage will grow even more steep than “devices sold“.
http://www.businessinsider.com/state-of-internet-slides-2012-10?op=1
http://blogs.forrester.com/frank_gillett/12-04-23-why_tablets_will_become_our_primary_computing_device
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14. Our primary computer
of tomorrow will
not
have a keyboard and mouse.
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15. Slowly but surely.
July 2012
May 2011
Nov 2010
http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-of-the-day-ipad-usage-2012-7
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16. What does this
mean for digital marketing?
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17. It becomes harder
to connect with customers.
Again.
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18. Apps are preferred over browser.
Different studies…
http://gigaom.com/2012/01/09/mobile-app-use-soars-while-mobile-browsing-wanes/
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19. Apps are preferred over browser.
… same tendency.
http://www.businessinsider.com/bii-report-the-winner-of-the-apps-vs-browsers-war-is-2012-9
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20. But not so many apps are really in use.
It doesn‘t really matter how accurate this is – even if 30% would use 20 apps regularly –
it would still be way too “short tail“ for 99,9% of businesses to catch one of those spots.
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21. Presence on
social networks
may help to
secure your ability
to reach your customers.
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22. Facebook and Twitter are accessed
mainly through “mobile“.
http://techcrunch.com/2012/07/31/facebook-mobile-only/
http://techcrunch.com/2012/05/11/time-spent-on-facebook-mobile/
https://twitter.com/TwitterAds 22

23. More Facebook usage on “mobile“
than on Desktop/PC (US).
“Mobile“ PC
US Americans spend 441 Facebook minutes on smartphone/tablet –
and 391 Facebook minutes on desktop/PC.
http://www.comscore.com/Press_Events/Press_Releases/2012/5/Introducing_Mobile_Metrix_2_Insight_into_Mobile_Behavior
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24. As your audiences get more
fragmented on different services,
devices and platforms –
so will your traffic sources.
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25. Something historical happened.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57530726-93/as-mobile-rises-desktop-search-declines-for-the-first-time/
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26. App-only has become a real option.
http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-instagram-twitter-2012-9
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27. But if you choose to offer apps –
these are the gatekeepers
to your audiences
Access-wise: Content-wise:
• There will be “Appstore-SEO“ • “No Nipples“
• There will be “sponsored App-Recommendations“
• There will be more combined desktop/mobile apps
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28. Some early conclusions
for digital marketing.
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29. Monitor your overall reach
Your audiences get more and more fragmented,
not all of them remain reachable, but you might
gain access to others: Decide wether to use this
new social network or develop for that platform
not only by strategic criteria, but also based on
your need to connect to audiences. You should
also expand your analytics to capture different
audiences per device & access.
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30. Make your own little
organizational XML revolution
Where possible, split “content production“
(messaging) from “content distribution“
(production for platforms/media) – who knows
which channels and networks you will have to
serve in future. But your messaging and storytelling
should be consistent, always.
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31. Prepare for a more and
more visual web
Apps like Instagram and Flipboard, but also HTML5
and device-optimized mobile sites make the
digital experience much more visual. Even on
Facebook you can find more “designed posts“ –
photo posts that substitute a simple text post in
a certain visual style or even branded. Secure design,
photo and video ressources for your messaging.
If you follow conclusion #2, this is a must-do for
your content production unit.
http://liesdamnedliesstatistics.com/2012/05/the-importance-of-the-visual-web-some-stats.html
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32. Seperate “mobile“ and
“device & platform“ strategy
“Mobile“ means that location may play a role
in your digital offers and messages, while “device
& platform“ should include smartphones, tablets
and whatever else is relevant to your target group,
but in a usage scenario with high bandwith and
a relaxed, more or less “lean back“ atmosphere.
You will have to expand your “device strategy“ for
TV, game consoles etc. soon enough.
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33. Use popular apps/networks
to secure access to target groups
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Flipboard and
many others can give you access to target groups
that are heavy smartphone/tablet users. If the
chances to establish a heavy used own app are
pretty low, this might be a good backdoor to people
who would not be reachable via the desktop/browser-web.
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34. Exploit “mobile“ OS
advantages when going for apps
Apps are hard to distribute and it is even harder
to retain audiences. With apps that more or less
only simulate browsing, this is close to impossible.
You should rather invest in optimizing your “mobile“
web properties. But if you can enhance the experience
with your product through an app, you might secure
access to the most important target group: your
customers. This means to offer features, functions and
tools besides pure information. With or without a
location-component.
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35. Optimize everything
Whatever a user‘s primary device is, they should
have an adequate experience of your offers.
Treat a tablet at least like some crude browser
with a significant distribution – optimize for it.
If you follow conclusion #2, this is a must-do for
your content distribution unit.
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36. Technology is our friend
Evangelos Papathanassiou
evangelos@papathanassiou.de
www.papathanassiou.de
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