Facebook’s Mobile Growth

Social Media Rant #1

The name of the box I typed this post in on the WordPress dashboard is labeled “content.” What is content? When people say “Content is King,” what do they mean?

Well for one, they probably work in social media. Strategists understand that in the social sphere that a brand’s target audience is opting-in now. To content. To content that interests them. They check that box and get it delivered to them in the most convenient way possible.

In 2010, that means mobile. While a mere 3% of the 276 million mobile consumers in the U.S. own iPhones, near 50% of them do have smartphones. It’s so convenient to have everything in your hand. Isn’t it? And I’m not just talking apps, I’m talking about texting, email, maybe some music, a video service, and of course, your phone. Bingo! Content channels up the wazoo via one simple device!!!

Another channel that I think will be popular, or at least isn’t done with it’s run yet, is Flickr. What a community!!! It’s bursting with content, waiting to be dissected, gobbled up, sponsored, or at least looked at. In the name of transparency, I have a Flickr stream. And I’m also responsible for writing blog posts for a client. When it comes to “add an image,” where do I look? Online… and believe you me, there aren’t enough FREE IMAGE sites online. Not sure why. If you mark them with a cookie, then you know where they go online after they leave your safety next. Use the organic path it takes to make new connections in the social world.

Social is all about re-purposing. Conversation isn’t about coming up with something NEW all the time. It’s about dealing with what you have and putting a new spin on it so people look at you (or hear you) and say, “Oh, hey, what’s up? I want to hear what they have to say. It sounds interesting.” Content should be alluring, just like a good conversation is.

And if there’s one reason social media exists in the marketing mix at all, it’s to start a conversation. Have a dialogue for crying out loud. Go on. Engage.

Choose Local

I was in Eugene, Oregon over Christmas. Eugene is a delightful town, it’s beautiful, clean, bike-friendly, a community rather than a city, houses the University of Oregon, Lane Community College, Northwest Christian college, 2 large rival high schools, and a bike path that stretches along the Willamette for at least 10-15 miles. Most buildings in town are about 5-8 stories high, and the shopping belongs to 5th Street and Coburg Village. I said above that it’s “delightful,” well it’s also darling.

It was in Eugene, that I picked up a card that had this awesome graphic on the front, simple BOLD copy to read, and tons of information on the back about what www.chooselocal.com is all about.

Choose Local is a community-minded initiative that was born and raised as an idea in Oregon (I love you). The card I picked up in the store says:

Sponsored by Coburg Station. Powered by MapClicks.com. Instant savings to shop, dine & unwind. Offers regularly updated. No points to collect. Helps the local economy. Valid for discounts at participating merchant members only. Merchants to determine their own discounts. AND, you can get the offers on your phone! at mobile.chooselocal.com

Sold. Awesome. Choose Local sounds like a program for me.

Let me know if you have Choose Local or a program like it in your area.

Super cool.

ps. if you’re a journalist or in public relations and you’d like to reference this post, let me know by sharing Kudos below. Cheers.

Next-gen smartphones

I’m considering the Google Droid and thought for those of you doing the same, you’d enjoy this nice graphic from Mashable/Bill Shrink:

Another step for mobile

We all have our cellphones on us these days, because they’re not just phones anymore; they’re clocks, watches, email services, a gossip channel, a dating service, a marketing device, and now…they’re coupon transmitters. With 7-Eleven’s Test “text coupon” for Slurpees in the San Diego service, their marketing department says this:

“Our marketing programs try to reach them where they are. Mobile marketing is the next step to reach our target customers—the millennials who don’t go anywhere without their mobile phones.”

Oh millennials. GMR marketing owns the mobile couponing platform in this test.

What kinds of objectives do companies hope to achieve with mobile? Mobile Marketing Watch says increasing customer loyalty AND amping up database numbers for mobile marketing programs (customer relationship management)  in the future are two things we’ll see more companies and brands asking for in 2010.

With this quote from 7-Eleven’s marketing manager:

“Our consumers are mobile; therefore, it’s critical that we communicate with them where they are,” said Daniel May, marketing manager at 7-Eleven.

It really shouldn’t be any surprise that mobile will explode in 2010.