Set for success

This year has seen the mobile channel grow up. A rush of landgrabbing activity from publishers and mobile ad sales houses early in the year has stabilised into a pubescent market. It will kick off next year with a solid foundation of mobile sites and advertising opportunities. 

Dispite the proverbial ducks all facing in relatively the same direction, I don't expect any mobile miracles in 2009. No one talks any more of a killer app and the mythical 'year of mobile' phrase is mainly trotted out ironically. Realism - no bad thing when it comes to building and funding good businesses - has kicked in.

I hope to see a wider range of companies learn from others' experiences and start to offer consumers access to services wherever they are. Take-up will continue to grow in line with new services, consumer education and device penetration, but is unlikely to hockey stick, with the same true for mobile ad revenues. But this is positive: the market is evolving at a sensible, sustainable pace.

It seems that brands and publishers realise investing in mobile is worthwhile because the expenditure is relatively small for a potentially great reward. As a channel, mobile must not be ignored, and as increasing numbers of consumers use ever more powerful phones to access richer services, the need for a brand or publisher to have a presence in the emerging space grows.

It's vital that mobile continues to innovate and offer unique services, as well as cross off some elementary basics, such as measurement and search.

2009 is set to be a year of continued groundswell.

Published by: Alex Farber

Published 18th December, 2008

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