With a user base that is expected to grow to 462 million by 2012, mobile television is heating up phone circuits everywhere. But the latest developments have local mobile marketing experts excited . . . as mobile TV goes local.
According to Fierce Mobile Content, not one, but TWO companies are vying for the position of local mobile television provider.
Independent telcos seeking a competitive edge against cable and satellite providers have long made local programming a cornerstone of their IPTV efforts–after all, any cable or satellite service can deliver network sitcoms, premium dramas and Hollywood blockbusters, but only a broadcaster rooted in its community will offer on-demand viewing of the high school football team’s thrashing of its cross-town rival or a particularly heated city council meeting. It’s a situation mirrored in the current mobile TV environment, where operator-backed services deliver programming selected for maximum demographic-wide appeal, offering little that isn’t already available via other national broadcast platforms.
A-VSB and MPH promise something truly different, expanding the personal relevancy of what mobile subscribers watch as well as when and how they watch it. For example, a local affiliate could make the latest headlines, traffic and weather available on-demand immediately after the traditional newscast airs, enabling viewers to tune in and catch up via mobile whenever the opportunity presents itself. Add search and advertising revenues to the mix, and local-centric mobile TV seems even more lucrative.
It may not be Super Bowl coverage, but the ability of local mobile marketing to place ads during live coverage of the college football game offers unlimited possibilities! Or have shots of your restaurant and delicious food come up around dinner time, when your potential patrons are looking for a place to eat.
While the majority of local mobile marketing is done on a text message level, there´s no question that mobile phones are rapidly improving and local mobile marketing can only follow it on the upward curve, of which, video ads are the next logical step. This is definitely something to keep an eye on.
