Believe me, mobile advertising is a different game

Every time I see a banner ad on a mobile phone, I see it as an opportunity wasted. Ask the first five people you come across—do any of them click on banners on their phone? And I guarantee that the result of this poll would be the same if you asked 100 people, 1000 or even more. The way it is used today, a banner ad, doesn’t add anything to the user’s life. So it gets ignored. And it should!

To my mind, the mobile phone environment needs a different thought process. Mobile works far better with push content. After all, a phone is a direct communication tool—it’s quick, relevant and selective. Of course, you can’t push it down to the customers; opt-in is a must. All communication without customer consent is unsolicited, not just those pesky real estate texts spamming. It goes for banner ads and “customer service” calls from corporations too.

With an opted-in audience, relevant and contextual messages, there is a lot you can get out of mobile advertising—including some ideas that were never possible before. It is time to break away from the outdated CPM pricing models and low response rates so familiar from other media solutions. A smartly devised, advertising-enhanced service, combined with the power of telecom and the internet, brings a new level of service that consumers have never experienced before.

The mobile environment gets a leg up if the operators pitch in to further enhance these opportunities. Operators know that the user experience in a service with advertising has to be perfect, otherwise customers just churn away. This in-built quality control is very helpful. Even though traditional web players see operators as unwanted utility players, active operator input is crucial for the success of mobile advertising.

The Indian mobile market is an enticing and inspiring one. While the big numbers dazzle many, it is important to not miss the woods for the trees. Think individual and it will translate more easily to the larger universe. Think numbers, however, and you are likely to miss buy-ins—and soon enough, those numbers will dwindle too. Focus on the user, rather than just your message. Understand the mobile usage patterns of your target group. Make it not just simple, but irresistible for the user. Make it sustainable. Inspire new behavior patterns!
I see India becoming a leading nation in mobile commerce (advertising included), which is growing at an increasing pace alongside the telecommunication business we all are so familiar with.