Comments on: SMS: The Gateway Drug for Mobile Search

By: Heather Mlodinow

Heather Mlodinow — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:10:53 +0000

Full disclosure: I run a media company focused on text message promotions to the generation that believes the web
is tired not wired.

We recently ran a four-day SMS campaign that netted 483% response rate for our client. The audience was perfect for
the promotion. The CTA promotion pulled a 6% subscription rate on one drop. The content URL was available only
in the text messages. More than 4x the subscribed audience visited the site which confirms our belief that a great
campaign goes viral faster in text than anything on YouTube. More, the text subscriber is local and can act on the
message. In addition to the awareness, the campaign subscribers entered over 1200 emails. The cost of each lead was
less than fifty cents each. Cheap, good, fast. Who says you can only have two?

By: Stephen

Stephen — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 00:24:53 +0000

I love to see the term gateway drug used here–we’ve been saying that, jokingly, since last year, when we launched SMS Triggered search for digital content with a single shortcode across all 3 operators in Thailand. In a week or so we’ll be launching it in the biggest SMS market in the world (win a prize for guessing). In markets migrating from 2G to 3G where WAP/data penetration is c 10% and growing, SMS is the only way to engage millions of users in behaviors they can ultimately migrate to 3G. It grows the market for content providers and advertisers, etc etc.

By: Mike Boland

Mike Boland — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 18:36:00 +0000

Good point. i failed to back up the claim – Nielsen reports the average mobile user sends or recieves 357 text messages per month. That’s more than the number of calls they make (204) http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online_mobile/in-us-text-messaging-tops-mobile-phone-calling/

I’ll add a note to the post to that effect.

As for what comes next. Moving target. My guess is all the inventory opening up with apps will be an opportunity for display ads, sponsorships, and different ways advertisers can place themselves in the apps. Mobile search is also opportunity (SEM) with search volume growth in mobile – tied to rising smart phone penetration.

But if i knew a definitive answer to that question, i’d be starting a mobile company right now ;).

By: jonathan

jonathan — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 13:54:00 +0000

If it’s the gateway drug, what comes next? And when?
….and where’s the proof this a true statement?