While much of the excitement in social media has been based on Web sites and new technology uses, much of the growth lies in new platforms. These platforms include the multitude of smartphones as well as iPads and other tablets. The major implication of this development is that consumers now can access popular Web sites like Facebook, Mashable, Twitter, and Four- square from all their various platforms. Mobile and Smartphone Technology Worldwide, there are more than six billion mobile phones in use, seventeen percent of which are smart- phones.48 It is no surprise, then, that the mobile plat- form is such an effective marketing tool-especially when targeting a younger audience. Smartphones up the ante by allowing individuals to do nearly everything they can do with a computer-from anywhere. With a smartphone in hand, reading a blog, writing an e-mail, scheduling a meeting, posting to Facebook, playing a multiplayer game, watching a video, taking a picture, using GPS, and surfing the Internet might all occur during one ten-minute bus ride. Smartphone technology, often considered the crowning achievement in digital convergence and social media integration, has opened the door to modern mobile advertising as a viable marketing strategy.
Mobile advertising has grown as much as 80 percent per year in the U.S., but that rate is expected to slow to about 50 percent per year over the next few years. Digital advertising accounted for almost 34 percent of all U.S. ad spending in 2015, and mobile advertising alone made up about a third of that. There are several reasons for the recent popularity of mobile marketing. First, an effort to standardize mobile platforms has resulted in a low barrier to entry. Second, especially given mobile marketing's younger audiences, there are more consumers than ever acclimating to once-worrisome pri- vacy and pricing policies. Third, because most people carry their smartphones with them at all times, mobile marketing is uniquely effective at garnering customer attention in real time. Fourth, mobile marketing is measurable: metrics and usage statistics make it an effective tool for gaining insight into consumer behavior. Fifth, in-store notification technology such as Apple's iBeacon can send promotional messages based on real-time interactions with customers. Finally, mobile marketing's response rate is higher than that of traditional media types like print and broadcast advertisement. Some common mobile marketing tools include:
SMS (short message service): 160-character text messages sent to and from cell phones. SMS is typi- cally integrated with other tools.
? MMS (multimedia messaging service): Similar to SMS but allows the attachment of images, videos, ringtones, and other multimedia to text messages.
? Mobile Web sites (MOBI and WAP Web sites): Web sites designed specifically for viewing and navi- gation on mobile devices.
? Mobile ads: Visual advertisements integrated into text messages, applications, and mobile Web sites. Mobile ads are often sold on a cost-per-click basis.
? Bluetooth marketing: A signal is sent to Bluetooth- enabled devices, allowing marketers to send tar- geted messages to users based on their geographic locations.
? Smartphone applications (apps): Software de- signed specifically for mobile and tablet devices.
A popular use for barcode scanning apps is the reading and processing of Quick Response (QR) codes. When scanned by a smartphone's QR reader app, a QR code takes the user to a specific site with content about or a discount for products or services. Uses range from donating to a charity by scanning the code to simply checking out the company's Web site for more information. For example, Modify Watches offers a watchface with no hands. Instead it has a QR code that, when scanned, shows the correct time.50 Another smartphone trend is called "near field communication" (NFC), which uses small chips hidden in or behind products that, when touched by compatible de- vices, will transfer the information on the chip to the device. Barnes & Noble is hoping to work with publishers to ship hardcover books containing NFC chips to Barnes & Noble stores. The chips will be embedded with editorial reviews about that book from Barnes & Noble's Web site. When a NOOK user touches the hardcover with her NOOK, the book reviews will display on her tablet, helping her make a purchase decision.51 The Samsung Galaxy S6 smartphone can track users' eye movements and shift screen content depending on where they are looking. While a relatively new technology, eye tracking has interesting implications for mobile marketing in the near future. Finally, mobile marketing is particularly powerful when combined with geo-location platforms such as Foursquare, whereby people can "check in" to places and receive benefits and special offers. These platforms allow retailers and other businesses to incentivize multiple visits, visits at certain times of the day, and positivecustomer reviews.
18-6b Apps and Widgets
Given the widespread adoption of Apple's iPhone, An- droid-based phones, and other smartphones, it is no surprise that millions of apps have been developed for the mobile market. Dozens of new and unique apps that harness mobile technology are added to mobile market- places every day. While many apps perform platform- specific tasks, others convert existing content into a mobile-ready format. Whether offering new or existing content, when an app is well branded and integrated into a company's overall marketing strategy, it can create buzz and generate customer engagement. Web widgets, also known as gadgets and badges, are software applications that run entirely within existing online plat- forms. Essentially, a Web widget allows a developer to embed a simple application such as a weather forecast, horoscope, or stock market ticker into a Web site, even if the developer did not write (or does not un- derstand) the application's source code. From a marketing perspective, widgetsallow customers to display company information (such as current promotions, coupons, or news) on their own Web sites or smartphone home screens. Widgets are often cheaper than apps to develop, can extend an organization's reach beyond existing platforms, will broaden the listening system, and can make an organization easier to find.