Is there hope for mobile advertising?
The latest hope is that in app advertising will be where it’s at, with some analysts following the app pack creator, Apple and their iAd.
The iAd promises more emotion than TV advertising and more interaction than internet advertising. Apple claims that the iAd is where it’s at because search doesn’t work.
That may whip a number of fad followers to stump up the rumoured $1m per ad but the real reasons mobile advertising isn’t delivering is far simpler and fundamental…monetization and measurement.
Contrary to what has been suggested by Apple, lack of emotion in adverts isn’t what stopping big investment in mobile advertising. It’s the ability to be able to get ROI on advertising dollars and the ability to measure. PC advertising took time to come to fruition and only really took off when monetization took place. Mobile will be the same.
As analysts, journalists and developers continue to follow the Apple fad, consumers are moving in another direction; continuing to spend more and more time on the mobile web, buying more open devices. In-app advertising will grow in the short terms for big brands but will fail the vast majority of app developers and advertisers.
I agree with Aaron Goldman, Managing Partner at Connectual, who says:
“What works for Apple when it comes to advertising will only work for a handful of brands – like Nike, For the rest of us that don’t have such power brands, it will be hard to make a $1-10 million investment pay off..iAd, albeit elegant, is just another interruptive ad model.”
Unlike the internet, premium content will be key to the success for the developers on mobile. The majority of content producers and app developers will be reliant on a combination of advertising and premium content. The billing mechanism is far superior on mobile than it has been on the PC and users have demonstrated time and time again that they are willing to pay for content.
The maturing of the mobile web, as it happened all those years ago with the PC web, will bring better monetization and measurement and then finally mobile advertising will deliver on its promise.
No comments yet.
Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI
Leave a comment
No Comments