How Will Advertising Influence Mobile Web Growth?
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Advertising will clearly play a major role in the growth of the mobile web, both in terms of consumer demand and in terms of who are the competitive suppliers. Some are very bullish about the likely growth. For example in an upbeat article in the Bangkok Post, Jeff Teh, a senior research analyst at Frost & Sullivan, is quoted as follows, ”Mobile advertising has the potential to become more successful than internet advertising as the delivery medium is more immediate and personal. ‘The mobile audience in Asia is indeed larger and more immediately reachable than the online users, and with the increasing ubiquity of Internet access over mobile handsets, the web browsing experience is available to a large new audience.”
On the other hand as eMarketer points out, mobile users are easy to annoy and don’t want mobile advertising (hat-tip to Kate Trgovac). According to a study by Web Visible and Nielsen//NetRatings, nearly three-quarters of US Internet users think they are overexposed to advertising. That perception is carrying over into mobile marketing. Almost two-thirds of respondents to a Maritz Research survey of Generation Y consumers said they were unlikely or definitely unlikely to subscribe to texted retail offers sent to their handsets.
This may explain why Bena Roberts finds that Google Adsense for the mobile web does not seem to be attracting advertisers. She also points out that as of now Google is being somewhat cavalier in the way it treats its AdSense mobile advertisers. Thanks to William Slawski for bringing my attention to this expert blogger.
The present structure for mobile advertising does not seem to satisfy any of the stakeholders. Forbes has an interesting take on this in asking the question, “Will Google Crush The iPhone?” The article suggests that it is dissatisfaction with the ability of today’s phones to carry targeted advertising–rather than a thirst for software-licensing revenues or desire to build cool gadgets–that is pushing Google to take on the mobile-phone market according to industry sources. Google’s mission now is clearly to be a publisher of advertising. With its own Gphone, it will clearly be in a position to maximize revenues from mobile advertising.
StayGoLinks
October 28th, 2007 at 10:59 pm
Barry, thank-you. I have also discovered your blog and will be sure to link to your voice on the go article this week. Thanks heaps bena
October 29th, 2007 at 9:33 am
Bena, I’m most please to have you stop by. I’m enjoying what you’re coming up with in your blog.
May 23rd, 2008 at 9:02 am
I’m not looking forward to a development in mobile ads. As long as they stay out of the way (like Google text ads), it won’t be so bad.
Looking forward to seeing increased development of Google in this direction.
June 1st, 2008 at 7:57 am
I was actually talking on my channel a few weeks ago that a serious internet marketer needs to start gaining as much experience as possible on the mobile technology and to make sure their sites are compliant as no doubt the market share will keep growing and not the same competition as our traditional virtual world. THose of us that get a jump on this have a serious opportunity to cash out on it.
June 6th, 2008 at 11:43 am
Speaking of mobile advertising. My country, Malaysia is doing something called mobile voucher. Where some companies are gathered to provide discount for certain products and services when people shown their SMS voucher in their cellphone. It’s a pretty good marketing strategy though.
June 25th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
Great article. I think we will see a lot from Google and the GPhone over the next few years. However, I think the Apple is off to a fine start and the momentum will certainly be in their favor for the short term.
July 14th, 2008 at 10:03 am
I have a feeling that advertising will really contribute to the growth of the mobile web. I am not sure if adverising will necessarily be a good thing but more money means expansion.