Mobile Trends 2016

Trend 1 - Mobile moves beyond the phone

Global wearable device connections would become 570 Million in 2019 ( 3 times of current adoption). New app ecosystem will keep mobile at its centre and things like wearables and IoT around it. In the next 2 years, 1-5% of traffic will start coming from wearables.

Impact on Advertisers- Advertisers will have to consider the new screen sizes and interfaces, devise a new strategy around it. It also has to innovate and find new ways to connect with the customer under the new ecosystem

Trend 2- Virtual reality (VR) ads

Virtual reality gears are available are very nominal cost these days, for instance Samsung Galaxy S7. It will thus drive the creation of more content related to virtual reality and thus there will be rise in Virtual reality ads. In fact, Virtualsky is the 1st VR AD network

Impact on Advertisers- Going forward, Advertisers needs to invest in technology, resources, content and videos based on Virtual reality. It will give them an entirely new audience to talk to.

Trend 3 - Time to move into messaging/chat apps

Messaging apps are huge, their retention rates are very high and at least have 9 times/day usage rates. Snapchat has started advertising

Trend 4- Google App Indexing

Google’s search engine now process and surface deep app content and display it on the search page of mobile web. It also gives suggestions to download the app if user  does not have the app installed

Impact on Advertisers-

Advertiser's needs to start immediately focusing on Google search indexing algorithm. Advertiser's now have to compete with new and attractive competition on a massive scale plus the multiple internal screens of its own who fights for the same keyword.

Trend 5 - Interactive ads

Traditional ads will dye soon or will definitely have the majority banner blindness. The future is Interactive ads- energising ads that give the user the power to play and control

Impact on Advertisers

To catch prospects attention and to avoid ad fatigue, Advertisers needs to create interactive ads. This will not only give the power to attract new users but also to engage them right in the upper funnel and will be very easy to put them into the lower funnel and make them a loyal customer.

Trend 6- Rise of Programmatic buying

Programmatic buying is growing dramatically, with rich formats, real time usage, 1st and 3rd party data integrations for ads,  advertiser can buy impressions for intelligent connections with consumers who can identify the brand that is being advertised.

Impact on Advertisers

If Advertisers adopts Programmatic buying, it will save cost as the message is reached to the right person, at right time at right place. This will have a very high LTV

Trend 7 - Ad blocking

Ad blocking is on rise for Mobile web and web but will not affect in-app inventory.

Impact on Advertisers

Advertisers needs to look at its Cookie based advertising if they are directing users from web to mobile.  As this will not affect in-app inventory, Advertisers can look if they want to move their Marketing budget to in-App inventory

Trend 8- Native ads

As native ads are less intrusive and looks like a part of the content, their demand is rising YoY

Impact on Advertisers

Advertisers should start investing into the ad units like native ads which are less intrusive and have more engagements, less distraction and will save the Dollars.

Trend 9 - Lines between social, ecommerce and app will be blurred

Apps, their corresponding ecommerce and social channels will be seamlessly integrated. From Instagram’s ‘Shop Now’ to Pinterest’s ‘Buyable pins’ the line is blurring

Impact on Advertisers

Advertisers needs to be present and active on all the channels, devices, apps etc where their audience is. Also, it is very important for it to have a strong Social presence and adapt to the latest technologies as soon as they arrive

Trend 10- Mobile Video advertising

According to Cisco, mobile data traffic grew nearly 70 percent in 2014, with 55 percent of mobile data traffic spent on videos. Google recently announced that it will have video ads as a part of the search results.

Impact on Advertisers

Advertisers needs to experiment the video advertising formats and do a continuously experiment video advertising. Formats like vertical videos are doing great on snapchat, Periscope and Meerkat (live streaming) so buying inventory and setting up campaigns surely makes sense. Additionally, facebook’s 360 degree videos also makes sense to experiment for facebook which provide users with a new level of immersiveness

Trend 11 - Deeplinking- Move from ‘Nice-to-have’ to ‘Must have’

Impact on Advertisers-

Advertisers needs to make sure that the deeplinks and deferred deeplinks are enabled inside the app. This needs resources and time but once done will create a better user engagement and revenues. If not, the app open and exit rates will be very high

Trend 12-  Other major trends -

Micro-location targeting, Geo-fencing, Beacons, Internet of things, Big data analysis will now be actually actionable and will solve multiple problem like dynamic creative optimization, Mobile marketing automation, Ad viewability, Ads personalization, Live streaming, Increase in mobile ad fraud, rise in the use of Data Management platforms  etc