The dawn of the mobile revolution

“Social network creates awareness, assists with information search and contributes with alternative valuation, Llew Claasen, Clickatell VP for online marketing and products, said at the Thinking Mobile conference held late last week at the IDC headquarters in Sandton, Johannesburg, calling on organisations to be part of the social network system.

Countless messages

With countless messages being circulated every day through these networks, experts believe there is a ‘hidden treasure' of marketing opportunities lying in the bottom-sea of this system.

Publishers, SMS gateway, mobile operators and mobile users are all part of the mobile message technology ecosystem, Claasen said, adding that mobile messaging is part of modern culture.

He believes that the increasing inefficiency of push sales and marketing and the difficulties experienced by traditional marketing to explain clearly the return of investments might enhance the rise of ad-supported SMS mobile technology, especially those sent with a WAP link.

Brian Seligman, MTN senior manager for data bearers, called mobile marketing a paperless exercise and one of the major forces shaping the business environment.

It is believed that social networks sites such as MXit have used the opportunities brought by the mobile revolution to the fullest to such an extent that they made a mockery of the ‘absolute power' of traditional marketing.

Fundamental features

Splash screens, broadcast messages, hosted portal, competitions and portal tradepost content are the fundamental features of MXit's successful mobile advertising journey, which stops include 25 major clients in South Africa, according to Paul Stemmet of MXit.

MXit has more than 11 million registered users in SA alone, and just over 1.5 million international users.

According to Andrew Cardoza, Mobilitrix founder and CTO, a mobile handset is a personal device with a unique identity that offers countless possibilities, including government and public services, education, marketing and advertising, business operations, entertainment, customer relationship management and social activism.

Furthermore, mobile marketing has also proved to be a reliable instrument in supporting and managing events, as demonstrated by myMobworld director Lauretta Ngakane.

She said, “Take your existing databases to mobile. Ask for their permission and make sure that the right message goes to the right person and build subscribers' databases.”

However, Ngakane warned: “Mobile marketing cannot work if you don't know marketing. Have strategy and objectives, know the tools and know who to talk to.”

“Journey, not a campaign”

Angus Robinson, CEO of Brandsh Media, said: “Mobile marketing is a journey, not a campaign. If you choose to invest in mobile make sure you are in it for the long haul, and you will see your initial investment constantly grow.

“Use the medium correctly, make sure you are speaking to the correct audience. Look for the extension and right combinations, and build over time.”

There are close to 38 million mobile subscribers in SA and less than 30% of them do not have a computer, let alone an access to the Internet.

Robinson said: “For the majority of South Africans and Africans, their phone is their only computer, and therefore the internet.”

Bizcommunity.com was a media partner of the Thinking Mobile Conference Series. For more, go to www.mobilemarketingwinners.com, www.mymobworld.com and www.clickatell.com.