Monday Morning Mobile: Give The People What They Want!

Mobile, of course! It is what we want, when we want it, in the most direct way possible.

Have you ever recorded a sporting event in anticipation of watching it later, only to have it ruined by receiving the outcome unintentionally via text or social media? Whether we like it or not, mobile technology allows us to constantly interact and receive information.

Consumers have adopted this technology by accessing information about real time events via their mobile phones, never missing a beat on the score of a game, results of an awards show, or breaking news. According to Flash Networks, mobile internet traffic to sports-related sites increased by 215 percent in Europe and 156 percent in the Asia-Pacific during the Euro 2012 Football Tournament. The study also showed that there was a 210 percent increase in streaming of live sport coverage across Europe during the final day of the tournament. Sports fans are just one of the many demographics that have shifted their consumption patterns to mobile to fit their on-the-go, interactive lifestyles.

Not only does mobile offer another platform for accessing information and viewing events, but it allows the consumer to interact with the event and other fans viewing it. In the case of sporting events, fans can vote for players of the game, answer trivia questions, text in for promotions from sponsors, tweet questions to announcers, and debate live with opposing fans.

In many instances, mobile compliments traditional viewing settings, such as in-home or at a bar, as the link between primetime TV hours and mobile usage continues to grow. Shazam's partnership with NBC for this year's Summer Olympics in London is the most recent major showcase to look forward to. Viewers will be able to use the Shazam App to unlock extras such as unique content on athletes, up-to-the-minute information on results, and the medal count. The large scale adoption of mobile is great to see, however, the way that this campaign taps into the behavioral and interactive patterns of viewers will be the true test of success.

The growth of mobile spending is well documented, as a recent study by Strongmail suggests that 70 percent of marketers will increase their mobile budgets in 2013. With the rapid growth of mobile, many companies are rushing to get a mobile presence. While a mobile presence is necessary today, it is important to have a well thought out mobile strategy. Understanding that you need a mobile presence is the first step - the deciding factor of success will be to understand how your consumers interact with each other, your brand, and the outside world specifically from a mobile device.

Although increased mobile budgets are starting to reflect the power of mobile, brands must adopt the ideology that mobile is not digital. Mobile is real-time, interactive, direct, and an agent to enhance real life and the way that users experience it. In some fields, like Real Estate, the relationship between mobile characteristics and the way users consume information is a perfect match.

Choosing your next home and deciding which player had the best performance of the game are about as far apart on the spectrum of important decisions as you can get. However, the way consumers access information about their dream home or favorite player is very similar. You have no control over when your favorite team is playing, just as you never know when a potential buyer may find the home of their dreams and want more information immediately. Either way, mobile devices make it possible to search for the information whenever and wherever. Your device allows you to seek the information, but the execution is what ties together user patterns and the quality of their experience.

Real estate is mobile: It is location specific, personal, and ever changing. Agents are their own brand, houses can only be in one place, and consumers need information on the spot without having to wait for a call back from an agent days later. If real estate is mobile, shouldn't you be, too?