Mobile marketing through coupons, social networks and geolocation

I am taking advantage of this holiday to catch up with reports and research on topics that interest me particularly. Among them is the one who motivated me to write this post today and tomorrow "Smart Marketing for smartphones: Why is it important mobile marketing ".

This is a study by Omniture Y Forrester Research on the evolution of marketing via mobile devices and how they are improving the measurement tools to control this technique.

I have been particularly struck by two themes of many that comes this interesting report: one (which I will try today) is the growing importance of marketing combined coupons with social networks and geolocation, the other (which will be discussed tomorrow) is the development of this variant of marketing between market segments beyond 25 years.

Mobile and social networks

Joining social networks with mobile marketing is transforming the relationship between people, especially through Facebook. According to data from Facebook itself, the evolution of its users connected via mobile is as follows:

• 65 million in September 2009
• 100 million in February 2010
• 150 million in July 2010

Mobile and coupons

According to a study by Forrester Research 70% of Americans prefer not to mix coupons to mobile telephony, but paradoxically, this is not the opinion of users aged 18 to 24, who have shown a clear interest in this type of service.

According to Forrester mobile vouchers represent an important part of mobile marketing in the future, which is why I think it is worth start testing in this regard and start using this medium and coupons to interact with our users. The easiest way to do right now is through Foursquare (www.foursquare.com).

Mobile and geolocation

Social networks where user location is part of the information that can be shared, are growing. From Facebook Places to Foursquare anyone can share with your friends your current location and can send images of it, comments or recommendations.

Besides the opportunities this technology offers marketers, there is a new implication for scholars of digital identity: from now, where we are also part of who we are. Our identity is shaped by the places we go (and we show our friends) and spaces in which we move. Also by the comments we made ourselves on these places and spaces.

In 2008 Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, Nokia CEO stated "Imagine what can happen if we mix social networking and your location: your device know where you are, where your friends are and what they are doing. Your social networks based on the location will become your identity, the identity of your present"... intelligent reflection that is becoming reality.

Consideraciones filosóficas aparte, lo que sí queda claro en el informe es que los usuarios de aplicaciones basadas en la ubicación tienden a usar extensamente los móviles para investigar todas las opciones que se abren ante ellos, y que consultan información a través de estos dispositivos antes de tomar ninguna decisión clave y realizar compras. Es por lo tanto importante empezar a posicionarse en este medio, aunque también es cierto que puesto que es algo completamente nuevo, aún no está claro cómo se integra en la estrategia general de las empresas y cómo se deben medir los resultados, por lo tanto, requiere prudencia y mayor análisis.

The full report can be downloaded here:

“Smart Marketing for smartphones: Why is it important mobile marketing”.

Enjoy it.