It just cannot be ignored: mobile devices have drastically shifted the online landscape to the point where companies need to ensure that they are in a position to easily sell to mobile users – or else risk the chance of missing a fast-emerging market, says Derick Roberts, CEO of wireless connectivity specialist, TruTeq Devices.
About 45% of mobile owners are using their devices to download social networking apps. In fact, 35% of Android and iPhone owners in the US use apps such as Facebook before getting out of bed and starting their work day, according to a survey conducted by telecommunications equipment vendor Ericsson.
Roberts say mobile marketing is now a must-have and one of the fundamental goals of mobile marketers is to ensure that any sales interface, or channel, matches the smaller screen sizes of the recipients, using messages that are short but creative.
“Right now the most common mobile apps are simple text links which are easy to access and understand. Research out there points to the fact that mobile adverts perform about five times better than Internet ones. The most common mobile apps are simple text links and display ads that are sold based on cost per click, cost per acquisition and cost per thousand.
“These ads can be compared to the paid search campaigns on Google, Bing or Yahoo.”
TruTeq Devices, which focuses on providing wireless connectivity solutions to all market sectors, is the first company in South Africa to launch a solution for the pre-paid security industry, an industry expected to rival the pre-paid utility and airtime markets.
The company has implemented a number of pilot sites for its pre-paid solutions and has already announced the signing up of commercial partners.