TXT NOW Text/SMS Message Marketing

SMS fuels the growth of the mobile Internet
By ICTWorld, 22 February 2007

The advent of the mobile Internet has not slowed the growth of SMS. If anything, SMS is fuelling the mobile Internet.

“Accessing the mobile Internet using hyperlinks sent via SMS is the norm for delivering rich mobile content, applications or services. Evolving cell phone design and new business models has led to the convergence of these technologies,” says Dr Pieter E. Streicher, MD of Bulksms.com, a wireless application service provider.

Early handsets only recognised a phone number. Then phone enhancements identified an e-mail address or Internet link in a message. Today, phones automatically highlight phone numbers, e-mail addresses and Internet links in a SMS. There have also been improvements in the handling any type of Web site as phones have their own browsers.

“In the days before the mobile Internet, if a phone was not WAP-compatible then it could not display content. Now, all you need to do is click on the hyperlink within the SMS to access mobile content,” says Streicher.

The mobile entertainment industry has led the way in delivering music, videos and games using SMS hyperlinks. Businesses are catching on to using SMS as a cost effective and efficient means to deliver content to mobile phone users, download applications, or initiate viral marketing campaigns. In the latter case, consumers access rich content (such as an advert) via an SMS link and send on the campaign link to their friends. The benefit to the consumer is that the link is sent at the cost of a SMS rather than a MMS.

A good example of a business model maximising on the integration of SMS and mobile Internet is Jamble, a South African social networking service. Users access Jamble by sending a SMS to a shortcode. A WAP link is delivered to the user’s phone and the user clicks on it to open a page on the mobile Internet.

This WAP page allows users to subscribe to Jamble and begin creating a network of friends, send messages or use instant chat, share photographs and video clips, or download wallpapers and tones. Thereafter, Jamble provides alerts to new messages by sending an SMS with a link.

According to Streicher: “The cell phone is all about the immediacy and convenience of mobile communications. The integration of SMS and the mobile Internet takes this a step further by providing consumers with a ubiquitous means of accessing mobile content, applications and services.”

Snapple Builds Mobile Market
Source: Frost & Sullivan

One example of how well mobile marketing can succeed was a campaign that Enpocket put together last summer for the beverage company Snapple.

The campaign, under the promotion name “Snaffle,” involved the printing of 225 million bottle caps with numbers that could then be matched with winning Snaffle numbers. The winning numbers were announced on TV, on the Internet and delivered via text messages to handsets. Prizes included a trip to Australia.

Enpocket delivered the SMS alerts to customers who opted in to the campaign. The alerts were timed during the lunch hour, identified as the peak purchase time for Snapple.

Enpocket says 90 percent of all consumers who received the alerts opened them and an estimated 33 percent of those who participated bought additional Snapple products as a result.

Click here to learn how your company can benefit from TXT/SMS Marketing.

Cell phone plans, choose the best deal.

Cell phone has evolved to be one of the most important part of life. Most businesses require their officers to have a cell phone. Even individuals need cell phones in going about their daily lives. This is why acquiring this important gadget require intelligence to avoid inappropriate expense. Finding the most reasonable cell phone plan is one requirement in choosing cell phones intelligently. Because of the very large number of network services in this country, it may help you to research and assess their offers before deciding on a cell phone plan.

Before you decide to buy a cell phone, you may want to decide first whether you want a prepaid cell phone service or a traditional cell phone plan. If you decide on a prepaid cell phone service, then no problem, no credit check, you just need to pay outright and immediately you have your phone. Some cell phone companies even offer free cellular phone unit when you acquire a prepaid cell phone service from them. However, when you want a cell phone plan, you may need to choose from a by minute charging or by the second charging. Both charging process have positive and negative points. You need to assess your usage frequency and requirements before you decide on a cell phone plan. You may research on the performance like if they have enough towers to reach you wherever you are. There are different cell phone plans for family and national use. There are also cell phone plans for regional use. All of these have their own benefits although there are also their disadvantages. For prepaid cell phone plans, there are cell phone units that may not have the capability for this connection.

Other cell phone plans like family plans, this is advantageous for family use and small businesses. There is free access for emergencies. In addition, for family plans, it is cheaper to call the other cell phones included in one billing. There are also discounts for the airtime usage of family members using this cell phone plan. For national plans, this cell phone plan includes free long-distance charges. There are no roaming charges for this cell phone plan and it is another advantage. For regional use, this cell phone plan may require you to pay long-distance charges but the airtime rates may be cheaper.

Cell phone plans may be beneficial is you can acquire the once that have the benefits you need. The manner of usage is an essential requirement, if you do not need it as much and just for emergencies, prepaid cell phone plan could suit you well than traditional plans where you need to sign a contract with the service provider.

Prepaid cell phone plans are often preferred; however, for travelers the traditional plan with no roaming charges and no long-distance charges might be best.

All of this notwithstanding, in order to make full and effective use of your cell phone, you may want to set some guidelines in your usage. If you want your cell phone for your business, you may need to make sure you turn it off when you need privacy. Being available every time may not do well for you. Reserve sometime for yourself and never allow people to disturb you during this time. If your business partners know they could reach you even late at night and on weekends, they will be annoyed if you suddenly change this behavior. Having a cell phone and being available all the time may not be healthy, thus, you have to be wary not to allow people disturb you when you need to be alone with or without your cell phone.