The mobile opportunity for classifieds

Says Erken: “Mobile communication is a force for the renaissance of newspapers and represents an opportunity for publishers to develop more secure relationships with readers and advertisers, as well as to generate new revenue streams in media consumption and communication, and provide back-of-house operational efficiencies within their organisations.

“Almost every South African has a cell phone and the level of technology available to local users, such as 3G, HSDPA broadband and mobile TV, is cutting edge,” continues Erken. “As such, mobile devices are becoming increasingly popular for data acquisition and browsing the internet amongst increasingly sophisticated consumers who capitalise on all the resources at their disposal to find what they are looking for.

“If publishers of print and online classifieds want to tap into this rapidly expanding market, they need to have a holistic strategy that encompasses mobile.”

Erken says that Junk Mail’s willingness to embrace mobile technology as an extension to its print and online classifieds offering is paying off. The group’s mobile services, although still in their early development stages, is already generating revenue that contributes to about 5% of its annual profit.

“Our business is to match people together. Whether it’s a buyer to a seller, an employer to an employee, or two lonely hearts; we want to bring as many people together as we can. Our mobile services are helping us to interact with a wider audience and bring more people together,” he concludes.