It’s Monday. It must mean there are mobile links to share.

In an attempt to put some sort of order into the chaos that are my twitter favourites, saved links and open tabs, here’s a blogpost outlining some stuff I’ve been looking at lately.

Venture Capitalist, Fred Wilson, explains where he thinks a mobile developer’s focus should be http://www.avc.com/a_vc/2010/12/where-should-mobile-developers-focus.html including insight into the different platforms and the somewhat controversial view: ‘I believe mobile economics will trend toward web economics. there aren't many paid web sites. freemium works, but often you are in a free model.' The comments are also well worth reading.

Bango releases it’s latest free Whitepaper on mobile analytics with interviews and comments from industry experts. It includes key factors driving successful mobile campaigns, and offer hints and tips for brands seeking to replicate this success. The report also highlights the common mistakes that result in lower than expected results, and examines the dangers of using PC web analytics to gauge the success of mobile campaigns. It also talks about the importance of feature phones and how the various smartphone platforms play out.

Stuart Rose, outgoing CEO of Marks & Spencer, warns that companies must radically change – and work together – and that business models must be geared towards sustainability and finite resources: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sustainable-business/stuart-rose-radical-marks-spencer . This resonates with me on many levels.

The five myths of building a great mobile team are discussed on Techcrunch. The writer has come at this from a technical angle, and probably a Silicon Valley angle which is only a small percentage of the mobile market, and even with that in mind, I’m not sure I entirely agree. There is some truth to them though and it does make you sit up and think. I encourage you to read the comments which, for once on Techcrunch, are enlightening.

Ric Ferraro was sadly unable to get to his session at Mobile Monday Oslo recently, but has kindly shared the presentation he was going to give there. It’s about location and contextual search – worth a look.

And finally for this post, Ben Smith takes a look at why mobile data pricing is all wrong. When I get the chance, I’ll be adding my 2p too, and you should too, but in the meantime, you’ll just have to read the article (and comments to date).

Does enough thought go into mobile design?

Mobile Design is a hot topic these days. I heard a great story the other day… it seems that not enough attention is paid to the role of design when building mobile applications, sites and services. At a mobile event, the audience of mainly technical developers were asked if they designed their own assets for the products they built. And pretty much everyone put their hand up. Then they were asked if any of them felt qualified to apply for a job as a designer. Almost none of them raised their hand. Hmm. Something to think about I’d say.

So if this did make you think, then you might be interested in this Study of Trends in Mobile Design from Smashing Magazine http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/12/02/a-study-of-trends-in-mobile-design/ . It’s in-depth and because of that, may be worth investing in the e-book which should be easier to navigate and read. This was recommended reading from Stephanie Rieger of Yiibu, who also happen to be a great little mobile design company and who are also behind this great article and presentation on Rethinking the Mobile Web.

BizSparkCamp, A Technical Day focused on Windows Phone 7 – 29 November 2010

I’m pleased to let you know that Bindi Karia has invited me to speak at the next BizSparkCamp on 29 November. It’s a technical day focused on Windows Phone 7, (although my session won’t be the least bit technical – I’ll be talking more about trends and opportunities) and is being held at the Microsoft Customer Centre near Victoria station.

I’ve been playing around with the latest Windows Phone 7 – I have an LG Optimus 7 – and I rather like it. I like that the operating system doesn’t look like any other on the market, yet is still intuitive. It’s fast, responsive and the screen and audio quality are great. The camera is good too.  And I never thought I’d be saying this about a Windows Phone as the track record until now has not been strong. It’s a contender so should be considered accordingly as part of a mobile strategy.

So here’s the blurb about both the phones and the event and maybe I’ll see some of you there:

Windows Phone 7 is a different kind of phone, designed to bring together what you care about most. Its smart design lets you do more in fewer steps. Its intuitive Hubs, for People, Music + Videos, Pictures, Games and Office, means we bring things together for you so you can do what you need to do more quickly and easily. With this new platform, Microsoft offers a fresh approach to phone software, distinguished by smart design and truly integrated experiences that bring to the surface the content people care about from the Web and applications. For the first time ever, Microsoft will bring together Xbox LIVE games and the Zune music and video experience on a mobile phone, exclusively on Windows Phone 7. “Microsoft has nailed it. Windows Phone 7 feels like an iPhone from the future” (Jesus Diaz, Gizmodo)

What: BizSparkCamp: A Technical Day focused on Windows Phone 7. It is free to attend.

When: November 29th 2010, 11:30am – 5:30pm, followed by networking reception. Light lunch will also be served.

Where: Microsoft Customer Centre, in the Microsoft offices, Cardinal Place, 100 Victoria Street, SW1E 5JL.

RSVP: To register, please go to http://bit.ly/bHxa36 and enter Invitation Code: FD8513

Microsoft BizSparkCamp for Windows Phone 7 is a technically focused day designed to offer assistance to entrepreneurs, in particular, the CTOs and developers/architects within Technology Startups.

• Learn to build new applications on the Windows Phone 7 platform (via a series of technical briefings)
• Potential Nomination for BizSpark One (an invitation only program) for high potential startups
• Generate marketing buzz for your brand

Microsoft BizSpark is inviting registrations from Startups interested in Windows Phone development. Register now for your chance to learn the latest development techniques with Windows Phone and your chance to meet other startups who have already developed and successfully launched apps on the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace.

So in case you missed it, to register, please go to http://bit.ly/bHxa36 and enter Invitation Code: FD8513

Technorati Tags: events,bizspark,microsoft,windows phone 7,london,mobile development

What’s the future for SMS?

A very good question if you ask me. With the current obsession with iPhone apps, it’s easy to disregard other makes of mobile phone, let alone other mobile technologies. And SMS simply isn’t seen as particularly sexy or exciting (although if I had to blow on my glass screen to write a message, as seen in this Window Concept Phone pictured from Tuvie.com) maybe that would be exciting!). I think there is still a lot of mileage in SMS for marketing and customer service and when Michaela approached me to ask if she could write a guest article for this blog on that topic, I, of course, said yes. So, over to Michaela…

A guest post by Michaela Cristallo, Marketing Manager at InvolveMobile

Mobile marketing has grown at a huge rate in the last ten years, and with this growth we have seen mobile technologies from SMS to now encompass mobile apps, the mobile web, geo-location services and mobile display advertising. With so many technologies at the mobile marketer’s disposal and growing rates of Smartphone ownership worldwide, what is the future for SMS?

While arguably the most simplistic and least ‘rich’ of the mobile technologies, SMS has a variety of important strengths which will ensure its continued relevance amongst increasingly sophisticated mobile channels.

To begin with, SMS is a very effective way to deliver a marketing message to a wide, yet targeted, group of people. Pretty much every mobile phone is text message capable. This means a huge potential reach, compared with other mobile technologies like mobile applications or the mobile web which rely on Smartphones (i.e. handsets which use a named operating system like iPhone, Nokia Series 60 & Symbian 4, Android, BlackBerry etc) where ownership stands at just 18% in the US. Further, research from Frost and Sullivan and others shows that typically, 90 per cent of text messages are read within three minutes of receipt, with 99% read in time.

SMS is also a very versatile medium. Despite its lack of rich media features, SMS marketing can be used to run a variety of interactive mobile campaigns. Information and communication based services are perfect for SMS via text alerts or mobile clubs. Interactive campaigns like text to win, text to screen and SMS trivia are also possible. In addition, many retailers benefit from the instant nature of SMS for pushing timely sales offers via text based mobile coupons.

In addition to its wide reach and versatility, SMS is a great low cost option for marketers just starting out with mobile. It provides an opportunity to connect with customers on a mobile device for a low monthly cost. Unlike creating an app or mobile optimised site there are no large upfront costs (unless you’re considering a large-scale CRM-style system), or long lead times to contend with. An SMS marketing campaign can be set up in minutes and implemented immediately. SMS marketing can be a great way to start out with mobile marketing, with the potential to add other mobile mediums like apps and geo-location later down the track.

SMS marketing is a great way for small businesses to connect with their customers. With smaller budgets and often less stability upon which to make longer term decisions, the cost effective, instant and versatile nature of SMS marketing is ideal. SMS can be used effectively by small businesses to run a variety of promotions including text to win, event based text to screen and special offers via mobile coupons. SMS marketing is also an ideal way for small businesses to keep in contact with their customers via text message alerts and mobile clubs. Once initial opt in consent is gained from a customer, a small business can send regular marketing messages to that customer informing them of new products, events and sales. Over time, a business can grow their database, increasing the reach of their SMS marketing efforts.

With so many consumers interacting via mobile, multi channel campaigns are increasingly effective. The importance of a multi-channel approach to mobile marketing has been realised by many big name brand advertisers including Best Buy, Marks & Spencer and KFC who effectively use SMS alongside other mobile and non-mobile channels.

Multi-channel mobile strategies work well because they are whole – in the sense that each mobile technology on its own has fundamental shortcomings, which are rectified when these mediums are used in an integrated approach. A ‘whole’ mobile approach is possible because each medium contributes in the way it can give best.

SMS marketing, with its instant effect, wide reach and versatility, can be used for pushing timely alerts and information to customers. It’s also great for holding competitions, games and mobile coupons that the majority of mobile users can participate in.

Other richer mobile mediums, including apps and the mobile web, are best used when a richer media experience is required or expected. While many mobile users will not be able to access this content, some situations require this richer experience. Retail in particular is one area where apps and mobile sites are particularly beneficial – where consumers want to see and experience a product in as rich detail as possible, for example an online look book or catalogue. In situations like these, SMS may be too limited to provide the ideal experience.

Newer technologies such as geo-location are ideal for physical retail locations. Geo-location tools can be a great way to drive store traffic and encourage interaction, however once again, reach is limited.

A multi channel approach therefore draws all of these mediums together to create campaigns that reach consumers at every mobile touch point. SMS is essential to the multi channel approach because it does what it does well – provide marketers with the opportunity to push short, sharp messages to consumers that will be received and consumed instantly, with little cost or lead time involved. Without SMS the multi channel mobile approach falls apart, with brands using expensive technologies like apps to achieve the simplest of mobile tasks, suffering from longer lead times, and not reaching a large proportion of their target market.

So, what is the future for SMS? While SMS today competes with a range of different mobile technologies, SMS marketing brings its own set of strengths to a mobile campaign to complement it. The pace of mobile technology is moving quickly, and just as apps, the mobile web, mobile applications and geo-location have taken a piece of the mobile marketing pie, other technologies will continue to do so, such as NFC (near field communication), augmented reality and more. SMS, however, has its own distinct advantages, so the future for SMS remains bright – for small business, for new mobile marketers, for multi-channel approaches, and simply, for anyone wanting to engage their customers with short, sharp, timely, relevant and cost effective messages to the widest group of consumers possible using a mobile device.

About Involve Mobile:

Based in Australia, InvolveMobile is a leading text messaging software solution and has an award winning and full featured solution that has been continually developed since 2001, providing clients (from small business to large enterprise) with short code (dedicated short code and shared short code) and bulk SMS solutions.

InvolveMobile is part of Dload – an international interactive marketing company founded in Australia in 1999. Dload have commercialized research and technical development in digital communications to provide interactive marketing solutions to clients around the world.

Technorati Tags: sms,sms marketing,mobile marketing,involve mobile,guest post,text messaging,mobile advertising

Got an idea to help us Brits (especially those in Norfolk) save time?

Hotmail has teamed up with Ladygeek TV’s Belinda Parmar and Lisa Rogers from scrapheap challenge to try and help busy people save time in their lives. New research from Windows Live Hotmail – the email service for busy people from the folks at Microsoft – reveals that us Brits want to squeeze more into our daily lives but are leaving only one hour a day to dedicate to ourselves. On average, Brits say they have eight and a half hours less free time than they did five years ago. Surprisingly, it’s not Londoners who are the most time poor. It’s the people of Norwich who only dedicate a measly 45 minutes a day on what they want to do. Who’d have thought?!

Hotmail independently researched 3,000 people in the UK to find out how they manage their time. Over 50% of Brits are in the office for a full five-day working week, yet almost half of the nation still brings work home, so employment is the biggest time guzzler. Following work, Brits spend the most time focusing on personal relationships, family and kids, exercise, organising holidays and leisure activities, only leaving one hour to spend on the all-important ‘me’ time.

With that in mind, Hotmail has kicked off a nationwide search to find the nation’s best timesaving invention.

About the competition:

Hotmail is searching the nation to find out what Brits dream about to help them save time – the time-saving device of the future. The lucky winner will be selected by a team of esteemed judges and will receive £10,000 to spend on some all-important ‘me time’. Hotmail has also enlisted a team of experts to develop a prototype of the invention. Find out more, be inspired and enter the competition at www.hotmailtimesaver.co.uk

It seems to me that this competition is crying out for a mobile solution. So if anyone out there in mobile land has the time to devote to this, then I think you’d be making a lot of people happy and maybe winning some cash and getting your invention made in the process. Or maybe you have an idea already that just needs a bit of dusting off to make it competition-fit? Either way, why not give it a go? I would love to see something innovative in this area that connects with your phone somehow. There’s already been an idea about having a Hotmail app for your phone and a fashion matcher so your wardrobe decides for you what to wear each day (now that’s potentially a mobile app) but I’m sure there are many more good ideas out there.

The competition is open to UK entrants aged over 18 only and closes at 4pm on Monday 8th November. More terms and conditions at www.hotmailtimesaver.co.uk – and don’t worry, Microsoft won’t be claiming any IP on any of the entries and they’re not looking to invest in a new business.

One thing I need is something to make my email life faster and easier to manage. Maybe I’ll have to give the new look Hotmail a go…

Kemp Little Guide To UK Employment Law 2010-2011

I know this isn’t mobile at all. And if you’re wondering what my relationship with Kemp Little is, well, they’re one of our long-term supporters at Mobile Monday London. I’m also on their mailing list and they pinged me over information today about their annual Guide to UK Employment Law 2010-2011 which I thought might be of interest to some of my readers as I know some of you are running your own businesses or are managing people. This newly updated guide will hopefully serve as a practical guide to lead you through the latest in UK employment law and how it affects you. The aim of the guide is to provide practical, easy to use materials for HR professionals and people managers and is an interactive format (pdf). It covers everything you need to know from what needs to be in an employment contract to rights during employment and how to deal with business transfers and unions. And it’s all laid out in an easy to read and easy to digest manner.

The guide is free but you need to request a copy from the Kemp Little website http://www.kemplittle.com/html/stay-posted/publications/employment-guide.html and contact them with the details of the guide you’d like to receive.