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Advertisers Can Learn From Operators’ Missed SMS Revenue Opportunities Posted: August 30, 2007 Anam Mobile has revealed that global mobile operators are losing out on as much as €3.6billion (£2.4billion) of revenue per year through lost opportunities to create value-added SMS messages. Text messaging has grown into a phenomenally popular form of communication, with research from the telecoms analyst company Informa Telecoms & Media revealing that over 600 billion messages were sent worldwide during the first quarter of this year – over 75 messages for every mobile subscriber. Yet many operators are focusing on other, less well-established, data applications as they aim to increase ARPU and profitability. By introducing new data services through SMS, operators can tap into the existing level of comfort that consumers already feel when using the short, 160 character format. This approach will make it easier for new services to be adopted and can attach real value to the messages that individuals already send. “After voice, text messaging is still the most popular application on mobiles,” said Dan Winterbottom, Senior Analyst, Mobile Content & Applications at Informa Telecoms & Media. “Yet when it comes to innovation and new services, text messaging is being ignored by many operators in favor of new data services. There is an innate understanding by subscribers of how texting works, this could be utilized by operators when they introduce new services.” Currently, a large proportion of text messages are included as part of bundled deals provided by operators and therefore are, in effect, free to the customer. This means that each individual message has a low perceived value to the user and almost no financial value to the operator. However, there are many applications that could potentially be introduced to consumers through SMS. If the subscriber is able to use SMS to interact with their device in a more efficient, more enjoyable or more productive way, then they will be willing to pay a small additional fee for those SMS messages. The subscriber will accept that these messages fall outside of the ‘free’ text bundles, or add on a new bundle to their service plan; SMS messages are one of the few services that the user will always know how to use on their mobile phone. Gerry McKenna, CEO of Anam says, “I am constantly surprised that, until now, operators have not fully grasped the opportunities available to them through SMS. The €3.5 billion of missed revenue can be earned by simply enhancing the text services that they offer customers. There doesn’t need to be a shift in consumer mobile behavior - they can stick with their trusty SMS message, whilst the operator is able to create immediate results with additional revenue streams.” Similarly, many advertisers have yet to grasp the potential of text messaging as an integral part of their marketing strategies. Aside from the staggering usage statistics mentioned above, SMS is the mobile service that the most users feel comfortable with and already know how to use. The only potential stumbling block mentioned above regarding the carriers does not apply to advertisers: extra cost. Since mobile marketing is handled by a company such as Cellit, and not the carriers themselves, advertisers are able to utilize the messages that most subscribers are already allotted as part of a text bundle or other plan. Thus if mobile users are willing to pay extra to “interact with their device in a more efficient, more enjoyable or more productive way”, then how thrilled would they be to do the same thing with advertisers for no extra cost, especially when they would only be receiving these advertisements and offers from companies whom they have specifically requested information from via an opt-in system? Shortcodes Vastly Improve Advertising Recall Posted: August 15, 2007 Research commissioned by the UK based, 2ergo, in conjunction with O2, has highlighted that companies are missing a trick when it comes to converting advertising into sales, with nearly one in two consumers failing to respond to advertising because they don’t remember key details. However, the good news for business is that the mobile phone holds the key to solving this dilemma. Over 50% of respondents said they would like to access further information by sending a text to a shortcode and receiving a link to a mobile internet site where they can source additional information. The research revealed that 44% of mobile users between the ages of 18 and 60 fail to respond to advertising campaigns because they simply forget the brand name and contact details when the moment their interest was captured by the advertisement had passed - with many people wasting time later, trying to find the company, and eventually giving up. Other key findings highlighted that more than one in three mobile users have sent a text message to a five digit shortcode, primarily in response to TV and radio advertisements, and competitions. When asked if they would find it useful using text as a response mechanism to an offline advertisement, to then be forwarded to a mobile internet site for more details, more than 51% of consumers said they would be quite keen or extremely keen to use it. Of the consumers who were keen to use the services, three quarters (74%) said they would use their phones to request a brochure, 70% to check product availability, two thirds to help locate their nearest store and over half to book tickets or request further information from the advertising brand. Paul Terry, Marketing Director at 2ergo, comments; “The mobile channel provides a significant opportunity for advertisers and brand owners to more effectively capture the moment of when consumers are most interested in their advertisements.” “This study reinforces our own experiences of helping brands capture the valuable responses generated by offline advertising that would otherwise have been missed.” The future of mobile services looks positive as seven out of ten people aged less than 30 (71%), are keen to maximize the use of their mobile phone to access a company’s details or promotions. Similarly, more than half of people under 50 and a third of people over 50 are keen to utilize such services. Paul Terry concludes; “This is a really exciting time for the industry. It is clear from the research that calling and texting from mobile phones is now part of everyday life, but the real opportunity however lies in taking that familiarity and extending it into other services that bring convenience and value to both the consumer and brands.” SMS - Where it’s been and where it’s going. Posted: July 27, 2007 This was a great week for text-messaging, as two important SMS milestones were announced and an important text-based initiative was launched. In 1992, SMSC version 1.0 had a capacity of 10 messages per second which was soon quickly surpassed through ongoing innovation to improve capacity, reliability and accessibility. By 1999 the mobile industry saw the introduction of the first high performance SMSC, with what was then an incredible 50 fold capacity increase to 500 messages per second. Such capacity speeds have now been greatly exceeded by today’s further 32 fold capacity increase. Despite the rapid evolution of the mobile market, SMS is still the most important value-added service for operators. For operators looking to provide subscribers with robust messaging services, today’s mix and match platform means they can specify SMS capacity to meet their requirements. It is this scalability that makes the SMSC cost effective and adaptable to both growing and mature markets. Even in the most developed markets, such as Western Europe where SMS service penetration has reached 90%, SMSCs are vital to operators seeking to differentiate themselves through high-quality enhanced messaging services. Steven van Zanen, VP Marketing for Intuitive Messaging at Acision commented: “Mobile messaging contributes significantly to the total mobile service revenues of almost every network operator on the planet, and the phenomenal evolution of the SMSC over the past 15 years has been a direct factor to the overall success of SMS.” Also this week, Verizon Wireless announced that their subscribers sent and received 10 billion text-messages in the month of June, an all-time record for a single carrier in a single month. Verizon Wireless customers also sent and received more than 200 million multimedia messages. Both monthly figures represent an increase of more than 100% since September 2006, when the company broke the 5 billion monthly text message threshold for the first time. The robust performance and usage of SMS has not gone unnoticed, and have led to new and innovative uses of the technology. During the first-ever You Tube debates on Monday night, presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich encouraged Americans to use text messaging to voice their opposition to the war in Iraq. Wireless subscribers were encouraged to enter the word “peace” as a text message and then send it to the number 73223, or p-e-a-c-e. According to Michael Carmichael, Kucinich campaign strategist, the campaign team received more than 10,000 responses within the first 12 hours and days later are receiving an average of 225 text messages an hour. He said the viral nature is building thanks to the planned “peace chain” response mechanism the campaign has implemented. It is texting back to each supporter asking him or her to forward the call for peace to five more people. “It is a new day in communications, and it is a new day in creating a new conversation with America,” said Colin Rogero, representative of the media agency assisting the campaign. Asked if he thinks other candidates will pick up the texting concept, Rogero said, “Absolutely.” He pointed to how Howard Dean in the last campaign harnessed the power of the Internet and other candidates subsequently followed suit. He expects Kucinich’s opponents to jump on the texting bandwagon very soon. As SMS celebrates its suprisingly long past and immensely positive present, its continued level of innovation and voracious adoption by consumers, companies and even political candidates points to an even brighter future. A terrible use for texting Posted: July 24, 2007 It’s official. Amp’d just went under. And how did they notify their paying subscribers? Let’s have a quiz:
If you guessed choice 3, you’re correct! Shame on you, Amp’d. With customer service like that: no wonder they’ve gone under! More available here. It’s All Relative Posted: July 20, 2007 The majority of Australians believe that mobile phones have helped to balance their family and working lives. Social researchers from The Australian National University, the University of New England and the University of New South Wales found that only 3% of people reported that the mobile phone had a negative impact on their work-life balance. The project, part of an Australian Research Council Linkage Grant connecting researchers and the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA), examined the social impact of mobile technologies at home and work. It collected nationally representative data between March and May this year from a sample of 1358 individuals from 845 on-line households. The preliminary results of the three-year project found that the mobile phone is an indispensable part of the Australian life, with more than 90% of respondents reporting that their lives could not “proceed as normal” without their mobiles. “Very few respondents reported that the mobile phone has a negative impact on their work-life balance (3%),” said lead researcher Professor Judy Wajcman from the Australian National University. “A high proportion of respondents (43%) said that it has had no effect. Yet more than half (54%) of the respondents believed that the mobile helped them to balance their family and working lives.” “Rather than fragmenting time, our study suggests that mobile phone practices are strengthening and deepening relationships and building durable social bonds,” Professor Wajcman said. Apparently, the 3% who found cell phones to have a negative effect on their lives belong to a very vocal and very disturbed minority. Last Saturday, a man went on a rampage with a stolen armored personnel carrier through suburban Sydney, crashing into several mobile phone towers, telecommunications buildings and an electricity substation before being arrested. The man led officers on a 90-minute chase across six western suburbs before the vehicle stalled as it was being driven toward another mobile phone tower, New South Wales police said in a statement. The damage was pretty massive, according to cops: “He continued to destroy mobile tower communications sheds by crashing through the perimeter fence and colliding with structures, causing significant damage.” Police charged him with numerous offenses, including predatory driving, possession of a prohibited drug and use of a weapon to avoid apprehension. Drowning Pool working with us to support the Troops! Posted: July 17, 2007 Cellit is proud to work with the band Drowning Pool to help their fanbase sign a petition supporting the Lane Evans Mental Health Reform Bill. On the 4th of July, Drowning Pool and the Iraq Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) launched www.Thisisforthesoldiers.org. Now the campaign is coming to your cell phone. All you have to do to show your support is text “Soldiers” to 30364 and you will be walked through a three-part texting process. Once you complete the process you will be signed up for the petition to support the Lane Evans Mental Health Reform Bill. Standard text messaging rate apply. Whether you’re for the war or against it, everyone has an obligation to support the men and women serving our country. One in three soldiers returning from battle will develop post traumatic stress disorder. 1.5 million soldiers have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. By singing the petition you will help the soldiers get the help they need. Text Messaging Fast Becoming an Important Tool in the 2008 Presidential Race Posted: June 21, 2007 Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) introduced a major text messaging campaign in mid-May to stay in touch with voters, and now her closest rival has followed suit. Barack Obama has launched an SMS initiative to expand his grassroots network, organize volunteers for events and allow supporters to request information. Supporters can text “Go” to OBAMA (62262) to sign up for the service A press release from Obama’s campaign states, “With millions of Americans relying on cell phones, this new service will enable the campaign to not only communicate news about events and campaign developments, but it will also allow users to request information from the campaign. The campaign will use text to inform supporters about important public appearance and ask for opinions and advice.” Obama campaign officials also said they will use free ringtones and wallpapers to highlight the candidate’s positions and key statements on the war in Iraq, healthcare and other issues. The campaign said it won’t charge for the wireless service. “This campaign is about the people across the country who are taking organizing into their own hands and text messaging is a key tool that will help us reach out to people who rely on their mobile phone service for information,” said Joe Rospars, new media director for the Obama campaign. “This is a service we hope to use to continue to communicate with our growing base of supporters who are excited about playing an active role in our efforts to change this country.” The campaign blog says that millions of Americans rely on cell phones and are cutting the cords to their landlines. Therefore, the service is essential for them to communicate with this rapidly expanding group of potential voters. Dell Recruiting goes Mobile with Cellit Posted: June 11, 2007 Cellit is finding more and more applications for its solutions. One of the most exciting is using our tools to extend recruiting efforts to the phones. Many clients are using our solutions for this, the biggest being HEB and (most recently) Dell. Our system for recruiting is a perfect match; users can text in for info, and if they like the job, they can request an application to be sent to them via FAX or email. Of course, the recruiter is instantly notified of the lead. Dell’s use of the technology has been picked up here! We love the press! We are very excited about this system and feel it is a natural industry fit. We have several more clients looking to do this with us and we look forward to making it happen. Mobile Marketing’s got a New Voice Posted: May 17, 2007 Cellit is now in the voice business. We’ll be putting out a press release shortly, but I wanted to blog about this briefly. I think the combo of voice systems (both outbound-dialing and incoming IVR) plus text/WAP is a potent one. We’re still trying to figure out all the ramifications, but we are currently running a program for a Broadway show that seems to be a great use for the technology: send a “voice greeting” to a friend, and at the end, they can press “1″ to connect to TeleCharge to buy tickets. The next logical step will be: “press ‘2′ for a text of the info’… gee… not a hard one for us to do. But, what about:
There’s a lot to think about here, but as the technology evolves, the possibilities (which are now endless) will become even more endless. This is going to be fun. Certain Readers May Find the Following Article Offensive Posted: May 2, 2007 As long as there has been expression, there has been censorship. It is inevitable that someone will be offended by or perceive some sort of threat from certain thoughts being put on public display. There is a reciprocal relationship between the reach of media, its potential to offend, and the opportunity to censor which has reached an unprecedented level with the advent of the ultimate equalizer of expression; the internet. Now, anyone with access to the web can say whatever they want, whenever they want, and post it for the entire world to see. Yet, the internet has also heightened our awareness of how the airing of our thoughts can have a powerful effect on other people, even when it was never our intention to make anyone feel threatened or uncomfortable. It is no coincidence that the rise of “political correctness” and the proliferation of cheap or no-cost internet access have mirrored each other. While I whole-heartedly support all attempts to curb discrimination, and truly believe that we should err on the side of being too sensitive, it seems as though our ability to be offended can sometimes outweigh our ability to recognize true prejudice. A recent story illustrates this imbalance. A woman’s email to Telecom New Zealand’s help-desk, to see if certain cell phone services were available in her area, was rejected because of the inclusion of her name, Gay, in her query. Telecom’s automated reply to her email said the message “was identified by our content filtering processes as containing language that may be considered inappropriate for business-like communication.” It confirmed that the offending word was “gay”. The woman, who happens to be gay, was surprised that the word had garnered such attention. Telecom claimed the telling-off was never intended for Hamilton, as the warning system that threatens “disciplinary action” is intended to reprimand employees, not clients. Papich apologized to Hamilton last week and the two sides parted amicably. Now to me, this seems like a simple case of misunderstanding, where a company is trying to protect itself and its employees from harassment by restricting office communications to work-related topics. Nothing in the exchange suggests that the company has anything against gay people, just that they feel any discussions of sexual orientation do not belong in inter-office emails. If her name had been “heterosexual”, the same thing would have occurred; but would the media scrutiny have been as voracious? Here are some of the headlines for this story in various publications: 1) Telecom New Zealand bounces gay email - sounds both aggressive and bigoted 3) ‘Gay’ filtered in Telecom emails - this makes it sound like any mention of homosexuality specifically, but not sexual orientation in general, will not be tolerated 4) Gay too gay for NZ Telecom - this makes the company seem horribly discriminatory by removing all context And the worst by far, which coincidentally was the most used: 5) Telecom New Zealand tells woman her name Gay is ‘innappropriate’ - makes it seem as though the company hates anyone named Gay, and gives the full name of the company, but not the context, so your righteous anger can be directed appropriately Again, Telecom never said that the word gay was “abusive”, only that any discussion of any sexual orientation is not appropriate for office communications. There is no evidence that the company labored over this decision, wasting huge amounts of “time and effort”, and any programmer would tell you that the amount of time it takes to apply a content filter is miniscule. Ironically, the time and effort the media and Ms. Gay herself wasted trying to make this story into something it isn’t, combined with the time and effort they forced New Zealand Telecom to waste defending itself vastly outweighed the energy put into the original decision. In another story, Iran’s state television station announced this weekend that the Telecommunications Ministry will start filtering “immoral” messages sent via mobile phones. According to the report, the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution instructed the Ministry to buy the necessary equipment to monitor and intercept inappropriate messages sent via MMS. The station did not say when the filtering would begin or how the Ministry would define immoral. This story sent up all kinds of red flags when I read it. This level of censorship is shocking in any part of the world, and such actions seem ripe for concern and outrage. Here are the headlines for this story: 1) Iran to Filter Immoral Messages 2) Iran to Filter Immoral Messages Sent on Phones 3) Iran to Filter Immoral Messages on MMS 4) Iran to Filter Immoral mobile Messages 5) Iran to Filter Immoral Cell Phone Messages And the most controversial: 6) Iran to Filter Racy Messages All of these headlines say the same thing, and outside of the word racy and a few sarcastic quotes around the word “immoral”, they are factual and wothout judgment. Apparently, this information has not caused the media any concern, and cannot hold a candle to a wireless company accidentally offending someone because they are trying to keep their workers on task. « Previous Page — Next Page » |
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