MSearchGroove

Back from Mobile Europe 2.0 in Barcelona and settling in to do a string of posts that summarize and analyze the key news and views that emerged from the one-day event. The sold-out event was more than a huge success; it was a clear indication that the mobile industry is ready for new concepts, new companies and new discussions. While many established conference companies will no doubt continue to charge companies outrageous fees to speak - a practice that stifles the very conversation we need to cultivate - the future belongs to events (such as this one) that showcase good ideas, open discussions and unbridled innovation. Looking all the more forward to the next Mobile 2.0 in November!

Kudos to Rudy de Waele, Gregory Gorman, Daniel Applequist and the rest of the committee for bringing together a top-notch group of mobile professionals, investors and start-ups. (Mike Butcher at TechCrunch posted a complete list of start-ups here, and I’ll also circle back with a deep-dive into my pick of cool companies, including Kooaba, aki-aki and Zipipop.) Congrats are also in order for Tommy Ahlers, CEO ZYB; Charlie Schick, Editor-in-Chief for Nokia Conversations; Doug Richards, CEO Trutap; Antonio Vince Staybl, CEO Itsmy.com (GoFresh); and Alex Romero, Director Partnerships, Yahoo! Connected Life Europe. Positive feedback after the session, as well as the flood of emails I got after the event, tells me our panel rocked! More when I have the transcript and Rudy has the video, so please check back.

Another presentation that stood out was Taptu, a provider of “socially-assisted” mobile search that MSG has tracked from the start. (This white paper provides a valuable primer if you need to get up to speed.) Stefan Butlin, Taptu CTO, used his slot to highlight an exciting new trend to recreational mobile search and his company’s innovative response. Put simply, recreational search is a new user behavior driven by two factors: the avalanche of content available, and a growing frustration with the mobile browsing experience offered by the majority of mobile devices.

Rather than navigate the Web using small screens and tiny keypads, users are increasingly turning to mobile search to bubble up content they know is out there somewhere. As Stefan put it, search is a navigational tool that opens the door to new content, new sites and new ways to pass some time. “It’s not just about utility and relevant results; it’s about serendipity and surprising people with what they are likely to appreciate.”

To this end, Taptu is gearing up to introduce an “I’m Bored” button that users can click when they want the search engine to go out, look for, and return some cool stuff. Look for this feature to go live later this week. “It’s about suggested related searches and results people can explore in their spare time or during a commute.” Bob Last, who heads up Taptu’s business development, has promised MSG a briefing on this and other features in the pipeline.

full story »

• Posted in
• Usability, Web 2.0, Mobile Social Networking, Personalization, Mobile Advertising, Mobile Search, Content Discovery

4 Comments

share

These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

permalink

A long but invigorating day yesterday lining up analysis for the next week at MSG and concluding my last two social media panel briefings with Alex Romero, Director Partnerships, Yahoo Connected Life Europe, and Tommy Ahlers, CEO ZYB, in the run up to Mobile 2.0 Europe. I don’t usually reach out to panel speakers individually, but I couldn’t resist. The topic is controversial and - more importantly - the chemistry of the group is perfect for a frank and fresh discussion of the issues. No hype here!

Alex, who comes to Yahoo from Vodafone, has a unique and balanced view on the place of social media and the value chain/web that can make it a meaningful part of our daily routines. The key here is meaningful, since Alex, like Vince Staybl, CEO Itsmy.com, pointed out that one reason social media doesn’t yet live up to our expectations may simply be because there is (so far) no compelling reason to use it.

Another reason could be the disconnect between content and communications - or rather the tendency of mobile companies in the space to focus on enabling content or communications rather than both.

Creating and sharing content is central, but that same content also sits at the heart of our personal communications (we talk about it and through it). Operators - in their current role of communications companies - obviously have a seat at the table. Likewise, handset companies have earned their place card since we capture and share using their devices. But it may not be the feast these players were hoping to attend.

full story »

• Posted in
• Usability, Web 2.0, Mobile Social Networking, Personalization, Mobile Advertising, Mobile Content, Content Discovery

1 Comment

share

These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

permalink

In addition to clearing out my land-fill inbox and catching up on posts at the Carnival of Mobilists (insightful writing has a long shelf-life), I have put aside some time this week to prepare for the social media panel which I’ve been asked to moderate at Mobile 2.0, a sold-out event sure to bring together the best and brightest in the mobile space. (Well, there are a few tickets left, and you can buy them here.)

Of all the conferences I’ve attended - or had the honor to sponsor as a media partner - this one has my adrenalin flowing. The calibre of the some 150 companies attending - several just coming out of stealth mode - plus the mix of investors, developers, operators, and technologists, makes this a must-attend event. Kudos to Rudy De Waele, Co-founder dotopen / mTrends, and the Mobile 2.0 Organizing Committee for a job well done, and thanks again for inviting me.

My panel brings together Tommy Ahlers, CEO ZYB; Charlie Schick, Editor-in-Chief for Nokia Conversations; Doug Richards, CEO Trutap; Antonio Vince Staybl, CEO Itsmy.com (GoFresh); and Alex Romero, Director Partnerships, Yahoo! Connected Life Europe. To make sure we cover all the hot topics I’ve reached out to each participant for their no holds barred pick of trends and rants. These have been some lively and surprising conversations indeed!

Vince is convinced advertising in its present form - a retrofit of the banners and text links we know from the Internet - is doomed to fail. Mobile communities need new approaches - but first they need a compelling reason to access the Web on their mobile devices. Capture and share is close, but no cigar…

Doug at Trutap honed in on another pet peeve: the devices, the mobile operators, and the ecosystem (or lack there of). Monetization won’t /can’t happen until the industry has a platform. This is one reason why Trutap has a client. “We can’t do what we want to in the mobile Web.” The irony: We may need more control to get to the open Web. Apple is a control-freak, but the experience delivers. Likewise, DoCoMo demanded a center spot in the value web it created. However, i-mode grew into a platform that could sustain a healthy ecosystem of content owners, software developers, and service providers.

In Doug’s view, peace will break out and the ecosystem will flourish once mobile operators wake up to their pivotal importance as a service provider for application companies. “They have a billing system tied to a Web services environment that they can offer at a profit to independent software developers.” Clever operators could make even more money if they productized their capabilities to offer value-add in the form of location data, additional promotion and marketing muscle and “added discoverability.” Hmmm… Shop owners “sell” product placement on their shelves, so it makes sense for operators (who are content retailers) to market top notch spot on idle screens or in portal menus.

Charlie at Nokia Conversations, a strong voice in the social media space, spoke out on the pseudo-topics that dominate the discussion - and shouldn’t. Is mobile or the PC the proper medium for social media? We don’t even need to ask.

full story »

• Posted in
• Location-based services, Web 2.0, Mobile Social Networking, Personalization, Content Discovery

1 Comment

share

These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

permalink

MSG has impact. Online destinations, partner sites, event organizers and universities consult regularly with MSG to develop projects, plan industry conferences and discuss editorial contributions. Beyond a significant increase in the number of visitors, the site has grown a reputation for in-depth analysis, thought leadership and integrity - qualities that ensure MSG’s voice is heard and will continue to be heard throughout the industry.

I want you to lend your voice to MSG and join this conversation.

MSG is a multiplier. But, more importantly, MSG is an amplifier, helping a broad and eclectic mix of companies, executives, columnists and pundits deliver their message loud and clear. The response has been overwhelmingly positive - feedback that encourages me to break new ground and extend these opportunities to you. As a rule I will post all projects and deadlines at MSG, and always be open to your ideas and input.

Next on the list: The Annual EContent 100. From now until August I and the other judges will compile and review a list of the 100 companies that matter most in the digital content industry. I have been chosen to judge the categories Mobile Content, Search Engine & Technologies and Social Media.

EContent judges are the first and last word on companies that will be considered for or named to the list. However, companies in these categories are most welcome to provide me with information and arrange telephone briefings/demos. Whether or not you’ve been on the list in the past, I invite you to reach out to me directly at peggy@msearchgroove.com.

The list of EContent 2007 winners can be found here. It included Apple (Mobile Content), Automatic (Social Media), Autonomy (Search), Awareness (Social Media), Bango (Mobile Content), Basis Technology (Search), Business Objects (Search), Coveo (Search), Digg (Social Media), Drupal (Social Media), dtSearch Corp. (Search), Endeca (Search), FAST (Search), Google (Search), Groxis (Search), ISYS (Search), LinkedIn (Social Media), LTU Technologies (Search), Medio (Mobile Content), Mondosoft (Search), Nexidia (Search), Nokia (Mobile Content), Quattro Wireless (Mobile Content), Recommind (Search), RIM (Mobile Content), Six Apart (Social Media), Technorati (Social Media), TikiWiki (Social Media), Vivisimo (Search) and Wikia (Social Media).

(Please note that your contacting me does not compel me to put any company name on the final list of contenders and, of course, in no way guarantees that any company will be named to the list.)

• Posted in
• Mobile Social Networking, Recommendation, Usability, Web 2.0, Location-based services, Personalization, On-Device Portals, Local Search, Enterprise Search, Mobile Content, Mobile Search, Multimodal Search, Content Discovery

0 Comments

share

These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

permalink

Mobile search was always exciting (at least for me - I’ve followed key developments since 2003). However, the rise of alternatives to Google in mobile (which MSG expertly tracks here and for our partner, AltSearchEngines), forces us to change our pre-conceived notions about what it takes to win, as well as the line-up of companies likely to dominate the winner’s circle.

What is the mobile search ecosystem? Has it been properly defined and are there different value chains depending on the search engine provider? (That is, does partnering with a branded search provider vs. a white-label provider produce a significantly different value chain and/or impact the role of the mobile operator, ad networks and software/app providers?) Great questions - and ones that I, together with Juhani Kivikangas, VP Content, TeliaSonera, and Marc Bookman, CEO, MCN Inc., explored during our panel discussion at the recent Mobile Advertising 2008 conference in Brussels. (More about that in a later post - going to be a catch-up weekend…)

By coincidence, we honed in on the role of search as a must-have component of all services - not just ones offered by mobile operators and the usual suspects. In fact, Marc pointed out that MCN sees increased interest and demand from content companies and services providers. For me, this statement is a clear confirmation that change is underway in how mobile search companies must express and execute on their value propositions going forward. Will content companies partner with branded search providers who are also competitor portal providers and whose intentions are difficult to divine? I have my doubts…

As search becomes a service proposition, the landscape will no doubt have to make room for more vertical search engine companies and new types of companies we can’t yet identify let alone name. (There will also be ample room for a mobile search platform provider to bring all this together in a list of actionable results.)

Case in point is the move this week by semantic search engine hakia to offer syndicated search feeds to third-party companies and mobile applications providers. The first company to leverage this is Berggi, a provider of mobile consumer apps. Using the hakia syndication service Berggi has already released an alpha version of a mobile search application for the global market. If you’re in the U.S., the search app is compatible with AT&T and Sprint phones (Blackberry and iPhones excluded).

I caught up with hakia CEO Dr. Riza Berkan to better understand the service and the big-picture strategy around opening up the API to encourage developers to bake semantic search into their mobile apps. (Thanks to Riza for the briefing and to Farrah Hamid, hakia Communications Coordinator, who provided the screen shots below.)

full story »

• Posted in
• Location-based services, Mobile Social Networking, Mobile Search, Mobile Advertising, Local Search

4 Comments

share

These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

permalink

Back from Brussels and a great panel on mobile search and advertising. The feedback from the session and the whole conference, which attracted over 85 attendees, was overwhelmingly positive. Therefore congratulations are in order for James Cameron, who organized this stellar event and who, I’m pleased to report, will continue to contribute his insights on mobile advertising to MSG for a long time to come.

Speaking of insight, a personal highlight for me was the opportunity to mind-meld with Jonathan MacDonald, OgilvyOne Senior Consultant, who is instrumental in helping his company “think mobile” - as my esteemed colleague Tomi Ahonen would put it. It was an invigorating exchange and Jonathan understands like no other that empowered consumers demand a say in their experiences. Jonathan is ex-Blyk - a topic we didn’t cover because there was so much else to discuss - and I would bet the farm that Blyk’s algorithm for success, which is centered around the conviction that individuals must co-create their advertising, has Jonathan to thank.

This one sentence (from Jonathan’s bio) is a clear confirmation that the blog, the ideas it communicates, and its impact on the industry have been and will continue to be profound. As Jonathan puts it: “Whether one calls it engagement, market positioning, or creating belief - my ambition is to have a significant influence and effect in the world of communication. It’s what my life is, was and always will be about.” I was blown away by Jonathan’s blog, which I am proud to be featuring shortly in the Knowledge Sharing section of this site. Fortunately, the regard is mutual. Immediately after our meeting - while the event was in progress - Jonathan blogged about MSG, referring to me as a thought leader and the site a valuable resource for the industry. Now I know the chemistry is right for some great podcasts and posts…

In fact, Jonathan along with Steven van Zanen, who is responsible for Marketing and Market Development of the Next Generation Messaging portfolio at Acision, have a firm slot in the MSG editorial calendar for a joint podcast to give us the inside track on their ground-breaking mobile marketing partnership and their views on the ways operators, service providers and brands can maximize mobile advertising revenues.

I recall from my recent briefing with Steven that the partnership is a significant and symbolic step because it unites the creative (OgilvyOne) and practical (Acision) - the same capabilities companies must combine if their mobile marketing strategies are to drive positive results. What stuck in my mind: Steven compared the initial meetings between OgilvyOne and Acision to Star Trek. (Yes, I am a Trekkie.) As Steven put it: At first it was as if either side were speaking Klingon. But today, the companies - like the two hemispheres of the brain - are in synch, and have what it takes to claim a lead position in mobile marketing. Watch this space…and check back for the podcast.

Another highlight of the conference was a frank and fast-moving debate around whether mobile content and mobile advertising are a fit to generate revenues in the first place. Put another way, since content is free on the Web, can we even consider content to be a credible vehicle for generating advertising revenues on mobile?

full story »

• Posted in
• Web 2.0, Location-based services, Personalization, Mobile Content, Mobile Advertising, Content Discovery

3 Comments

share

These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

permalink

Summer is slow? Think again! I’ve attended a string of speaking engagements and industry conferences - a tour that will wrap up (at least for a little while) at Mobile Europe 2.0 next week in Barcelona. I have made many valuable contacts over the last weeks - and you can count on a series of exclusive interviews and podcasts on MSG and our partner site AltSearchEngines once the dust has settled. A highlight was the Visiongain Mobile Content Awards (MCA) last week in London. Today, the organizers contacted me for comment and issued a press release with my observations and a complete list of the winners. BTW: This was the first conference where I was required to be a one-man show, serving as chairwoman during the day and MC in the evening- so it was an event to remember indeed! Above all it was great fun - and my thanks to everyone who attended. Check out the Flickr photos here.

A special thanks to George Yaryura, Strategic Marketing Manager, Netsize, who helped me present the awards and brought enough copies of the Netsize Guide for everyone. It’s an invaluable resource and mobile industry almanac packed with the data and events that made 2007. (You can download it on MSG by clicking the top left-hand flash ad.) I collaborated with Netsize on the 290+ page tome, but even if I hadn’t I would still urge you to download it.

I was fortunate to sit at a great table with Bango, which also received the award for the Best Contribution for Mobile Content, and Tony Keaveny, Head of Sales UK at SnapNow, a cool camera search service I very much look forward to showcasing on MSG in the coming weeks. Ditto for Cellent, one of the few companies that “gets” the power of recommendations. Thanks to James Hales, Cellent VP, Business Development, I’ll have a great case study involving Sony BMG.

Happy coincidence: I already recorded a great podcast with NewBay CEO Paddy Holahan - and owe a lot to Amanda Campbell, NewBay Marketing Executive, who helped make it happen. (NewBay won silver for the category Best Handset App.) BuzzCity won gold for the category Best Progress in Emerging Markets. I’m proud to report BuzzCity CEO, KF Lai, has also consented to a podcast for MSG, only closer to a big announcement - so watch this space…

full story »

• Posted in
• Mobile Social Networking, Recommendation, Usability, Web 2.0, Mobile Research, Personalization, On-Device Portals, Mobile Advertising, Mobile Content, Mobile Search, Multimodal Search, Content Discovery

0 Comments

share

These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

permalink

Regular readers will know that it’s MSG’s mission to be a thinking space for companies seeking ways to monetize their digital assets (through search, discovery and personalization), drive mobile revenues (through mobile advertising & marketing), and harness the power of empowered consumers (through social media). However, MSG is also a think-tank for companies requiring competitive analysis, a clear assessment of the marketplace and an objective evaluation of their business performance, capabilities and potential risks.

In line with this focus I’m pleased to report an increasing number of companies have sought out MSG services to research and write professional-yet widely accessible - white papers on topics ranging from semantic search to location services. (Please check back regularly. I will post this work for you to download and browse freely as and when clients give me the green light to do so. If you wish to discuss a research project, then please reach out to me directly at peggy@msearchgroove.com .)

Today Funambol, a provider of Mobile 2.0 messaging software powered by open source, has released a new MSG white paper, entitled Free For All: The Untapped Opportunity For Mass Market Mobile Email. The white paper - available for download here - expertly argues the case for a solution that is based on open source for the broadest device compatibility, and supported by advertising to foster adoption among cost-conscious users. (press release)

In the paper I also contend that the arrival of flat-rate data plans and the advance of mobile advertising strategies create perfect Petri dish conditions for companies to offer mobile email services subsidized by relevant advertising. Users are open to mobile content in exchange for the proper incentives, and mobile email - a huge untapped market that Frost & Sullivan, a research and consulting company, forecasts that global mobile email usage will increase 24 percent annually over the next four years - should be no different.

full story »

• Posted in
• Mobile Research, Mobile Content, Mobile Advertising

0 Comments

share

These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

permalink

I’m just back from hosting the very successful Mobile Content Awards 2008 in London (more about the highlights in another post) and out the door to Brussels for Mobile Advertising 2008, when I see this in my inbox.

MCN, a provider of mobile search management and monetization solutions, chalks up another major win today with the launch of SMS triggered mobile search across Thailand’s leading mobile operators (AIS, DTAC, and TrueMove). The new MCN-powered SMS triggered search services build on the WAP-based search applications that MCN has powered for all three operators since early 2007.

In a nutshell, triggered mobile search is about extending mobile search to SMS users, allowing them to search using a shortcode (in this case 4530111). In this scenario, the user sends a text to search for downloadable content items. In return they get the content they want in 2-3 clicks, directly from local content sources.

But the SMS triggered search service is more than the entry point to relevant search results; it’s the gateway to additional content exploration and - hopefully - sales. This data point from ABI Research that confirms to an extent the importance of SMS-based content discovery: “The market for SMS search will see significant growth worldwide, with Asia-Pacific driving much of the growth - overall SMS search queries will grow from 12.9 billion in 2008 to 76 billion in 2013.”

The virtuous cycle around this particular approach to search & discovery is possible because of the quality/variety of the content choices the real-time federated search management solution returns in response to a query. As it is designed from the ground up to showcase fresh content (real-time) and promote a blend of content companies best-suited to deliver the goods (federated), it delivers good results, broad choice, and all the more reason for users to explore what’s at their finger tips.

Granted, SMS triggered mobile search is not a brand-spanking-new concept- (there is a slew of plain-vanilla mobile search services where text triggers the delivery of actionable answers, for example). However, the excitement about triggered search - particularly in Asia - is building, making this approach one to watch. Even at the MCA event I just attended, execs from major mobile operators across the region confided they are on the look-out for ways to move mobile search from a mechanical interaction into more of a two-way conversation. And SMS triggered mobile search certainly fits the bill.

full story »

• Posted in
• Mobile Research, Mobile Search, Mobile Advertising, Content Discovery

2 Comments

share

These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

permalink

The last two days have been hectic and highly rewarding. At the request of Visiongain I held an all-day mobile search & discovery workshop in London today timed to the Mobile Content Awards & Conference, which kicks off tomorrow.

At today’s workshop I wanted the content companies and mobile operators who attended to understand the practical problems (and solutions) that will allow them to sell content (by making it findable), deliver it to the device (by understanding the device management) and measure the results (by employing mobile analytics). To this end I asked Andy Bovingdon, Bango VP Marketing, and Abraham Joseph, Device Management Forum Founder and independent consultant, to join me. Thanks again to you both for making this first workshop a success!

After the presentation Andy filled me in on a new release Bango Analytics offer in the pipeline - but more about that closer to the launch date.

Another “scoop” I have comes from Indian mobile operator Idea Cellular. It recently launched a new mobile search service using speech recognition technology that turns the pull model commonly associated with search on its head. Here, it’s a push service that  also cleverly informs a select group of the user’s peers about the searches and the purchases linked to those results. The operator executive who took part in my workshop candidly discussed his company’s search strategy, and therefore asked me not to blog about it on MSG just yet. I must respect his request and will circle back with more detail via a more formal Q&A soon.

I’ll be London for the remainder of the week, chairing the conference and leading sessions on content pricing and strategies to deliver users a better mobile Internet experience. I look forward to hearing what Eran Wyler, Infogin CEO, will have to say. Infogin just yesterday announced yet another operator win. The deal with Singapore’s M1 will see Infogin power the operator’s MobileSurf service - a service that allows users to surf the Web with even the most basic mobile phones. The mobile-friendly presentation of content will no doubt be a hot topic at tomorrow’s event.

If you plan to be at the event, then please reach out to me for a chat during the breaks or a meet-up after the sessions. I’ve also been asked to host the gala awards dinner, so hope to see you at the celebration!

• Posted in
• Mobile Search, Content Discovery