Tech Linz' Blog

Do you remember the days when there were only two or three television channels and a handful of radio stations, each of which played the same few advertisements over and over? OK, well neither do I, but I do remember reading about those days in school. What I do remember though is using my cell phone a decade ago for phone calls only.

My, how things have changed! In recent years, due in large part to mobile technology, the entire landscape of advertising has changed dramatically. I recently had the pleasure of chatting with Max Tremblay, Director of Marketing for Yahoo! Canada about the current trends in mobile advertising and how Yahoo! has positioned itself to capitalize on these trends.

TL: So Max, tell me, from your perspective, how has mobile advertising changed as a result of new technology like mobile apps?

MT: Mobile Internet and the rise of mobile apps are significantly changing the advertising landscape. By taking advantage of advancements in mobile technologies – from more sophisticated mobile browsers and devices, to faster carrier networks and the rise of “app stores,” mobile advertisements provide a fundamentally different user experience than many customers have come to expect based on their PC experiences.

TL: I agree that the experience is different, but do you believe the same rules apply as with traditional advertising?

MT: Absolutely. Whether in an application or on the mobile Internet, mobile advertising does follow many similar patterns as traditional and Internet marketing. Mobile advertisers can still stick to a few simple rules when creating campaigns for mobile devices: know your audience, know your objective and understand that mobile is a channel, not a strategy.

TL: But with mobile technology, advertisers can more accurately target their audience, correct?

MT: Exactly. Technologically, mobile apps and browsers can easily integrate with the functionality of any given mobile device – from its location capabilities to the address book, enabling advertisers to gain a better understanding of the user to serve more targeted and relevant ads. Mobile lets consumers interact with a brand in more places and at more times, and can even be used when there is no data connection. Mobile advertisers can create unique, branded experiences through mobile apps, providing consumers with entertainment or services that they engage with, while also engaging with the brand message at the same time.

TL: How has Yahoo! positioned itself within the mobile industry to take advantage of all its capabilities?

MT: Yahoo! has one of the largest mobile audiences in the US – more than 37 million unique users per month and millions more globally. Our position in Canada is strong. We have millions of monthly visitors and strong partnerships with Rogers, RIM and other leading mobile carriers and OEMs and we continue to grow our audience and build on our momentum by delivering useful and relevant Yahoo! experiences to our mobile users and major brands.

Our large, engaged audience enables us to be a major player in the mobile advertising space because advertising will always follow the consumer. We are monetizing by building high quality advertising experiences into our products and extending our strong position in PC advertising into mobile. We also recently signed our largest mobile advertising deal to date, an example of the opportunities in the mobile advertising market. Quality brands across all categories are coming to Yahoo! and running campaigns that compliment and align with what they are doing across other media – Internet, TV, print, offline, etc.

TL: Impressive! Sounds like you truly are leading the way when it comes to mobile. With that in mind, where does Yahoo! see mobile advertising going in the future and how are they positioned within these trends?

MT: The mobile advertising market is rapidly accelerating. Juniper Research expects that the global market will quadruple to $6 billion by 2014. Brands from a wide range of industries are now integrating mobile into their overall marketing mix in order to achieve strong results and reach consumers wherever they are. Advancements in mobile technology and the growth of mobile adoption will continue to transform the way industry-leading consumer brands approach mobile as an advertising medium.

Ultimately, the future trend of mobile advertising will be better integration of mobile and PC campaigns, as there is increasingly complementary usage between the two mediums. For instance, our research tells us that in any given month, Yahoo! Mail users who check their mail on both the PC and mobile are more engaged overall, spending an average of 82% more time with us than those who only check Yahoo! Mail on the PC.

Overall, brands are integrating mobile as a part of their overall marketing campaigns to maximize their exposure, providing a new way to reach a large and engaged consumer audience with the right message in the right place, at the right time. As an entrepreneur and business owner, this is all great news! We live in an environment that some might say is cluttered with advertisements, but with mobile technology, we can better target our audiences, providing them with information that is relevant to them at any given time. And with Yahoo! leading the way, who knows what will come next!