I have especially emphasized the advantages to advertisers of making use of mobile Internet ad networks to achieve high click-through and conversion rates with a reasonable budget. But as all marketers and media planning professionals know, there is more to a campaign than just planning and flipping the switch. In this article, I will address ways that advertisers can fine-tune mobile campaigns in order to ensure stellar results.

I take as an example an advertiser on the BuzzCity Global Mobile Advertising Network that ran a campaign offering a free downloadable sample. This advertiser’s experience left a number of key takeaways for mobile advertisers, both positive and negative. On the surface, the campaign appeared to be a success. It generated 150,000 views per day to the campaign landing page, with a click-through rate of 1.89 percent. However, when we dig a little deeper, it turns out that the campaign only generated about a 5 percent conversion rate. In other words, only about one out of every twenty people completed the click-through process and the free download.

Even though it ultimately resulted in a poor conversion rate, the campaign generated a notable amount of traffic, and the advertiser did a number of things right. First, they made use of both banner and text ads. This is good because some mobile web publishers only deliver text ads and some only banner ads, and others both banners and text. Running both types ensured that the ads would show up on as many relevant mobile web sites as possible. Second, the advertiser bid high, but not too high, for clicks. A lot of advertisers who have never used mobile before have a hard time envisioning what their ad buy looks like.

But mobile is not a mystery—with self-serve ad networks like the one BuzzCity runs, just think of Google Adwords or similar auction based systems. So, as is the case with most mobile campaigns, bidding high was definitely an advantage because it ensured that ads would be shown as frequently as possible and they would successfully bid for as much inventory as possible. On the other hand, not bidding too high was important for keeping the ROI as high as possible. The third positive takeaway is particularly important: they checked the campaign settings and their bids regularly. This is an absolute must as mobile advertising is a dynamic medium, and mobile ad campaigns must also be dynamic. Finally, ad text was straightforward and included a clear call-to-action—an absolute must for effectively driving traffic.

Even though this advertiser got good results on the front end of their campaign, not many of the click-throughs translated to conversions. An analysis of the tactical approach reveals the reason why. The ad text created the expectation that the free download could be completed right away. However, the user experience was just too unfriendly, with too many steps involved. Users were asked to answer a long series of questions. This is a big no-no when you are trying to hold peoples’ attention, particularly when they are surfing on their mobile phones.

After answering the questions, users were asked to download an application that would facilitate the download. Adding an extra download to the process is usually a big turnoff for users. Users then had to log off the Internet, launch the application, and then click on a link for the actual download—yet another barrier to users getting the payoff they were expecting.

In general, we find that the following three factors are most important for advertisers to keep close tabs on: 1.) exposure; 2.) click-throughs; 3.) conversions. If an advertiser finds that their campaign is not getting good exposure, we’ve found that it is usually helpful to raise their cost-per-click bids, and revisit the audience they have chosen to target. Often the target audience is too narrow. With mobile, there are a number of parameters you can adjust and fine-tune to tap into your target audience. These include content channels, time targets and phone type. If the target is too selective, the advertisement could be severely limiting the number of interested prospective viewers.

What if an ad gets good exposure due to high bids and placement on a slew of mobile web sites, but a bad click-through rate? Just like other ad mediums, this is usually the result of ineffective copy. If this is the case, the first action an advertiser should take is to re-visit their messaging and ask the following questions: Is it concise? Does it appeal to the audiences they are trying to reach? Speaking of audiences, it also helps in this situation to once again examine the target audience. It may be too broad for what the advertiser is offering or what they want to accomplish. The advertiser may want to narrow their intended audience to better target and achieve an improved click-through rate.

Finally, I always advise advertisers to test, test, test. Do not be afraid to test multiple ad types and various approaches, especially early on in campaigns. You can never do enough testing, even after a campaign has begun. Remember that mobile advertising is a dynamic medium—which is part of its appeal—and part of the challenge is to constantly try new techniques that may improve results.

Mobile is probably the most targeted means of advertising ever devised. With creativity, planning, and by being versatile and willing to adjust your campaign in order the find the best fit to achieve the best results, you too can tap into the power of this medium.

All forms of advertising are likely to see a decrease in spending. But there is a bright spot in the midst of all the doom and gloom: mobile advertising.

Mobile advertising, at this point in its development, is one of the few areas of the global technology sector that may just be largely recession-proof. Just think of how important mobile phones have become to a broad range of people—from those of moderate means to the wealthy. According to the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA), there are now 267 million mobile phone users in the U.S.—up from 251 million at the end of Q4 of 2007. This means that more people in the U.S. (and around the globe, in fact) have a mobile phone than an Internet-connected PC. And think about how many people are giving up their land lines as their primary phone—a phenomenon that has become so common that a major U.S. mobile operator has made ditching the landline an advertising slogan. Mobile technology is truly changing the communications paradigm—and an economic downturn is not going to stop its evolution.

Not only are mobile phones and devices quickly becoming a necessary tool for consumers and professionals alike, but users are realizing that mobile devices can actually save them both time and money. For example, a recent report from comScore suggests that smartphone users are finding that they can save money by taking advantage of the utility of the mobile Internet. It should be noted that a smartphone isn’t necessary to access the mobile Internet, and as more people realize what even more basic phones can do, the more we’ll see use of the mobile Internet grow.

But back to the numbers—besides the steady growth in handset sales and new subscribers, growth in data (mobile Internet and text messaging) has been explosive and there are no signs of a slowdown. For example, ABI Research recently released the findings of a report that found that the global economic downturn is not effecting the growth of mobile messaging (text and multimedia). In fact, the firm predicts that worldwide mobile messaging service revenues will grow from $151 billion in 2008 to more than $212 billion by 2013. Additionally, Nielsen’s latest measure of mobile Internet usage shows an ongoing and steady rise, recording more than 100 million unique mobile subscribers and $1.8 billion in revenues for the second quarter of 2008.

The most impressive numbers in terms of growth, however, are in mobile advertising. As the head of a company that runs a mobile advertising network on a global scale, I’ve witnessed this firsthand. Here at BuzzCity, we’ve seen a 97 percent increase in mobile ad impressions in the U.S. alone between Q1 and Q3 this year. And we don’t see any significant slowdown on the horizon. Numbers from other sources also support this strong outlook for mobile advertising. The MMA report I cited earlier found that mobile ad awareness—a key metric for effective and targeted advertising—increased 56 percent during the first nine months of 2008 in the U.S. Nearly four out of 10 American mobile phone users (totaling roughly 104 million U.S. consumers in all) recalled seeing mobile ads between July and September of this year, the study found.

In addition, major advertisers see real promise in the medium, again despite the sour economic outlook. A recent Internet Advertising Bureau survey found that 62 percent of agencies, media planners and advertisers believe mobile ad spending will continue to grow and emerge in marketing budgets. These executives realize that, with the exception of the direct sale, mobile advertising may be the most targeted advertising medium ever devised. Mobile phone users are active Internet surfers and motivated buyers, more so than any other medium. In addition, mobile advertising allows companies to measure effectiveness in unprecedented ways through metrics that speak directly to the motivations and buying habits of customers. And, mobile advertising opens up possibilities for new and even more targeted technologies like location-based marketing.

While some may continue to be skeptical about such a new and innovative advertising medium, the evidence continues to mount for the emergence of mobile advertising as a highly effective way to reach customers. And as awareness continues to grow, there will be more segmentation—both by vertical and by specific technology (i.e.—location-based, mobile couponing, etc.) that will allow marketers to target potential customers with even more specificity. For now, the continued steady adoption of mobile phones, growth of the mobile Internet, and steadily increasing awareness of mobile advertising will shield the industry from most of the pain of the economic downturn. However, what really makes the mobile advertising business largely recession proof is the increasing importance of mobile devices and data services to consumers’ daily lives. Mobile is, in many ways, becoming indispensible—in good times and bad.

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