Mobile Fix – Maybe less is more. But for who?
Simon Andrews, founder of the full service mobile agency addictive!, on Facebook, the GAFAs coming to the living room, and location-based services…
As everyone fixates on the Facebook IPO, we liked an article showing the guy who is in charge of their ad strategy – the typical smart SAI title says it all: “The $100bn valuation pretty much depends on this one guy”. No pressure then.
Facebook has announced its first event specifically for marketers taking place on 29 February in New York. We can expect to hear more about the ad strategy then – and what they plan to do with mobile.
Some changes are already being leaked, with one being a reduction in the size of the basic ads – down from the 135 characters to just 90. This comes as users report seeing up to seven ads on their screen.
Maybe less is more. But for who?
The Facebook mobile strategy took another big step this week with the announcement of a partnership with Orange to distribute Facebook to its 70 million users in Africa. As data usage is still low in this region Facebook will use a technology called USSD, which is built in virtually all GSM phones and used for services like callback. They expect one million new customers by the end of the year.
This approach is separate from Facebook Zero, where users can access a stripped down version of Facebook for free on their mobile if their operator has signed up.
And the Guardian is finding its integration with Facebook hugely successful.
GAFA coming to the living room?
There seems to be something a foot at the GAFA HQs. Google have hired a senior Apple guy (with a track record in hardware) for a secret project. There are stories that Google are to launch a product in home entertainment.
The Guardian also has an interesting piece of speculation around how Amazon could enter the TV market.
With the news that Google are partnering with Sony to launch Google TV in the UK this spring, and Tim Cook hinting that Apple still see TV as an opportunity, ‘newTV’ seems to be getting closer.
Some new research suggests people like the idea of getting TV on a variety of devices. And media and web pioneer Barry Diller is investing in Aereo – a new start-up that offers TV access via broadband, using an innovative technology that essentially gives each subscriber their own antenna. As someone who ran ABC, owned the Home Shopping Network and started Fox TV for Murdoch, Diller gets TV better than most.
Second screen is the other hot area in ‘newTV’ and it seems to be working for US brands. “It’s almost, in effect, helping brands close the loop from interest to actual action in a more direct response model.”
Places
Whilst the novelty of checking in places to be mayor may be waining, it’s clear that the context of location is going to be really useful – and probably really valuable.
Foursquare have built a fantastic resource – we haven’t found anywhere not on their system for months (even in exotic places like Sri Lanka, Sao Paulo and St Ives). And their APIs are both comprehensive and generous – so we see smart ideas like 4SQWiFI – an app that helps you find wifi hotspots by using the FourSquare database – often with the password too.
A new(ish) feature on FourSquare itself is Explore, where you can pick a location and find places in that location – great for forward planning. And you can now filter – so just see places your friends have been to or places you have been before. Next they need to integrate Google StreetView, so you can take a look around at the same time.
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