The Mobile Playbook: 5 Creative Ways to Win in Mobile

Editor's Notes

• #2: Hi, my name is Brendon Kraham and I lead the Global Mobile Solutions at Google. To start I wanted to share with you some of the latest mobile innovations that are really on the cutting edge - that you may or may not have heard of yet. When you think about it, this truly is science fiction, except it’s not: think about it: you can talk to your phone and it will give you an answer, you can use your phone as a touristic guide as you walk down the street. Let’s take a closer look at the latest mobile innovation and what they mean for users:
• #3: Mobile can make your life easier and become become your closest technological companion that gets to know you. We recently introduced Google now, a totally new experience, giving you just the right information before you’ve even asked -- no digging required. Note for BK [video]
• #4: We’re just at the beginning of the next big shift in commerce and the opportunities for consumers and businesses are enormous. Our goal is to help people turn their intentions into actions, quickly and easily, while enabling merchants to connect with customers in new and innovative ways.One of latest launch in this space includes the ability to use any card when you shop in-store or online with Google Wallet. This new, cloud-based version of the Google Wallet app supports all credit and debit cards from Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover.Another interesting innovation relates directly to mcommerce: When shopping from a phone, using a credit card can be a painful. In fact, the typical purchase has 17-20 fields to fill and 7-10 clicks and scrolls, all on a small phone screen!In order to ease the pain of online shopping for both shoppers and merchants, we’ve also introduced a new Google Wallet API that can improve the checkout process: when users log into Google Wallet, there is no need to enter a 16 digit credit card number or other payment information -- it is already securely stored in Google Wallet.
• #5: Browsers are awesome. The latest open technologies, including HTML5, WebGL can do some beautiful, magical, crazy things. we created this website to provide inspiration for anyone interested in experimenting creatively with the mobile web. This open new doors for endless creativity to marketers and agencies.
• #6: Mobile is bridging the gap between online and offline world. Here is a cool example of a new mobile app that we launched just last September. FiedTrip enable users to uncover cool stuff hidden in the world around you, whether that’s history, architecture, art, food, or entertainment.
• #7: The archetype of this constant connectivity beyond the touch screen is probably Google Glasses, our internet-enabled glasses. It’s a technology, that helps you explore and share your world. The goal with this project is that technology gets out of the way while letting users enjoy and share daily life moments. [Video]
• #8: i just showed you just a few of the new exciting consumer offerings from Google on mobile. But we know that you are all here representing businesses and trying to figure out how to craft a mobile strategy so you can lead instead of follow as your consumers become more and more mobile-first. So what doesall this mean for you? It is clear that Mobile represents a sociological shift in how users relate to both the digital and physical world. You should no longer be asking,"Why should I invest in mobile?" but instead they are asking, "How should I invest in mobile?" Let’s talk about 5 crucial mobile questions every business executive should be asking today and shares examples of businesses that are leveraging innovative, breakthrough mobile marketing successfully.
• #9: Here’s a quick overview of the 5 questions we’ll be walking through.
• #10: To start, let’s pose the first question, “How does mobile change our value proposition?”Consumers can now use smartphones and tablets to interact with businesses 24/7, from anywhere -- at home, at work, on a bus. Here are some more examples of brands that have thought deeply about what their consumers want from mobile, and then proceeded to deliver it.
• #11: Both Hotels.com’s mobile website and the extreme marketing they utilize to promote it (their ads feature a video of a man literally booking a room from his mobile device while skydiving) both demonstrate their firm grasp of their basic value proposition to business travelers: the ability to book rooms quickly and easily.
• #12: Almost half of all consumers use smartphones for in-store product research and browsing, and according to InsightExpress, 53% of men and 38% of women say they use smartphones in-store to check prices at other stores.
• #13: Retailers have no choice but to react to this highly disruptive “showrooming,” which turns physical locations into showrooms for products destined to be purchased online or via mobile. Apps like Amazon’s Price Check let shoppers take product snapshots or scan barcodes to generate comparative price lists from multiple retailers. IDC Retail Insights summed it up nicely in a recent Wall Street Journal article: “The four walls of the store have become porous.” 39% of walk-out incidents -- the moments when shoppers leave without making a purchase -- were influenced by smartphone usage according to one study; 12% checked other online retailers’ prices, while 8% checked availability at other stores.And this trend will only increase as the information advantage shifts ever further in the direction of the buyer. Over the 2011 holiday season, for instance, Amazon promoted Price Check by offering $5 off any purchase made by scanning a product in-store and then buying it from Amazon via mobile.
• #14: Note to presenter: If giving a client presentation, use this slide as an opportunity to have a discussion with the client around this key takeaway. What is the current status for this client on this topic? What would be ideal?We’ve discussedwhat your value proposition means for your mobile consumer; now it’s time to consider how you engage them via a mobile-optimized site.
• #15: Do you have a mobile-optimized website? If you don’t, this should be your top priority for engaging mobile customers.
• #16: The fastest path to mobile customers is through a mobile-friendly site. If your site offers a great mobileexperience, users are more likely to make a purchase. 67% of mobile users say that when they visit a mobile-friendly site, they’re more likely to buy asite’s product or serviceA great mobile site experience is becoming increasingly important, and users will keep looking for amobile-friendly site until they find one that works for them. That means your competitors will benefit if yoursite falls down on the job (and vice versa). 79% of people who don’t like what they find on one site will go back and search for another site
• #17: Never stop optimizing your site based on what you learn from user interactions; even great mobile sites usually have plenty of room for improvement. Six years ago, 1-800-Flowers.com become one of the first e-tailers to dive into mobile, with an optimized website and apps across multiple mobile platforms. Their test-and-iterate model has since evolved into a sophisticated mobile strategy that includes analyzing mobile site traffic, benchmarking against other e-tailers, and, just last fall, working with mobile vendor Moovweb to launch an enhanced smartphone-optimized site whose key features include “Find a Gift Fast,” which connects shoppers with local flower arrangements, deep linking functionality to ensure that searches land on the mobile site, and an enhanced calendar to help users figure out shipping and other costs. What was the impact? Increased conversionsand time spent on-site up 25% from the original mobile site.
• #18: Once you’ve built your mobile site, your next step is to start using apps to enrich your relationships with your users.A full 91% of companies featured in Interbrand’s 2011 Best Global Brands have a presence in at least one of the major app stores -- a figure that’s up 51% from 18 months ago. Let’s be clear, though: having an app is not the same as having a mobile strategy. An app is essentially a bookmark for users who want to engage with you, but the majority of your traffic is likely coming from the web, not from brand-loyal power users who’ve downloaded your app. Your mobile website is also accessible by users across all devices, while apps must be designed for specific platforms.here are one example of a brand brands that is doing apps right:Domino’s mobile app lets customers order “more than 1.8 billion pizza combinations” from anywhere, and follow their order’s step-by-step progress with the Domino’s Live Pizza Tracker.
• #19: The next question we’d like you to ask yourselves is a simple one: Is our ORGANIZATION adapting to mobile?
• #20: Our recommendation, at its most basic level, is a simple one: We encourage the appointment of a Mobile Champion within your organization. This person should gather a cross-functional mobile task force to work to determine your company’s approach for each of the questions listed. Benchmark your competition, understand how your customers use mobile through focus groups and surveys, set aside budget, talk to your agency partners, and brainstorm internally.
• #21: Let’s talk now about how you measure, track and evaluate your mobile marketing investment
• #22: As you’ll soon see mobile-led conversions are real, work and drive real business value. With mobile we’re no longer just seeing a linear path to purchase that ends with an e-commerce purchase on the same device. While many users do start their journey on mobile and complete purchases on the phone, many also start on mobile and end up buying at a physical location or on different devices.We’re seeing that mobile is spurring different types of conversions, both online and offline: click to call, cross device, from apps, in-store, on mobile web
• #23: As we’ve shown earlier in this section, advertisers are embracing mobile as part of their brand building efforts. The fact that mobile was a category at Cannes for the first time signals that mobile has truly arrived as a creative platform. Let’s take a closer look at what makes mobile so unique as a creative canvas, and how this creates unprecedented ways to engage consumers.
• #24: As we’ve shown earlier in this section, advertisers are embracing mobile as part of their brand building efforts. The fact that mobile was a category at Cannes for the first time signals that mobile has truly arrived as a creative platform. Let’s take a closer look at what makes mobile so unique as a creative canvas, and how this creates unprecedented ways to engage consumers.
• #25: One excellent example of what’s possible with mobile display ads is the memorable Coke campaign “Hilltop” with the “I’d like to buy the world a coke” messaging that was re-imagined for today’s digital world. Viewers of the mobile display ads were able to virtually send a coke to someone across the world through special vending machines located throughout the world with personalized messages and receive video responses. Take a look at the rich-media mobile ad campaign here
• #26: What better way to take a hurt kid’s mind off their boo-boo than this augmented reality Magic Vision app featuring the Muppets? After applying the bandage, children can use the app to interact with Muppets.
• #27: While we encourage advertisers to push the limits of branded experiences in mobile, whether it’s a mobile site or app, brand owners should be mindful to activate these experiences through mobile advertising to ensure that they drive enough reach and awareness of these innovative touchpoints.
• #28: Hopefully by now you’re ready and eager to wield mobile tools to make your brand more valuable to increasingly tech-savvy consumers and spawn innovative marketing strategies that connect you with your customers in new ways. Imagine what you might be able to accomplish this year if you start right now.Start how? Just keep asking the questions we cover here, work closely with your Mobile Champion, and keep your eyes on the rising mobile tide. At Google, we believe that mobile represents a sociological shift with how users relate with both the digital and physical world. Businesses that understand this will win.
• #29: Thank you for your time. Note that a full version of the Mobile Playbook can be accessed online at www.themobileplaybook.com, across all screens. Be sure to check out the site from a tablet device especially!