New WeChat feature could put a new twist on mobile advertisements
Tencent, one of China’s largest Internet and e-commerce organizations, has held a commanding and lucrative place in the mobile space for some time, but the company is eager to find yet more success therein and beat back competition coming from companies like Alibaba. Tencent has launched a new service for its popular WeChat application that may take mobile marketing to a new level and make mobile ads more attractive and valuable to certain businesses.
Tencent aims to mimic the marketing success that social media platforms have seen through marketing
Social media marketing has long been a very powerful way to engage consumers due to the fact that so many people use social media platforms on a daily basis. For Facebook and Twitter, marketing is a primary revenue stream. For Tencent, marketing could be yet another way to monetize its WeChat application, which is the most widely used social application in Asia.
New service allows companies to place advertisements on the social pages of their competitors
Tencent’s new WeChat service allows companies with verified WeChat accounts to pay fees to have their advertisements placed on the social pages of other companies. The revenue collected by these fees will be split between Tencent and the companies that will be hosting the advertisements. Advertisers will be able to target specific demographics through this new service, meaning that WeChat users will see ads based on their interests, age, gender, and location.
Tencent manages to successfully monetize app through mobile commerce
Tencent has already successfully monetized its WeChat app through allowing it to serve as a mobile commerce platform. The app can be used to pay for certain goods and service, as long as the company selling these goods and services supports mobile payments. By involving itself in the mobile marketing field, Tencent may be able to make itself more attractive to companies and not just consumers. This could help Tencent compete with Alibaba in the mobile space. Both companies have taken a strong position in the market, seeking dominance among a consumer base that is becoming increasingly mobile-centric.
Report predicts the impact of mobile commerce around the world
This may be a very important year for mobile commerce, according to a new report from InMobi. The mobile advertising and analytics firm expects to see more people participate in mobile commerce this year than they ever have in the past. People are becoming more comfortable with the concept of shopping for and purchasing products from their mobile devices. As more people gain access to smartphones and tablets, retailers and other businesses are beginning to cater more to these consumers, offering services that are meant to promote mobile shopping and spending.
Consumers are becoming much more comfortable in the mobile space
According to the report from InMobi, 85% of consumers worldwide plan to participate in mobile commerce within the next 12 months. This is a 15% increase over what had been reported in 2013. Last year, many retailers began taking the mobile space more seriously. Retailers began supporting mobile commerce platforms or introducing platforms of their own in an attempt to engage and remain relevant with consumers that were becoming more reliant on mobile devices.
Mobile devices have a major impact on consumer purchasing decisions worldwide
The report shows that 48% of consumers claim that mobile devices are having a major impact on their purchasing decisions. Many note that marketing campaigns specifically designed for mobile engagement have been more effective in capturing their attention. Because these consumers are mobile, they are able to act on marketing that they are interested in very quickly. In many cases, effective mobile marketing strategies have lead to mobile purchases, further familiarizing consumers with the concept of shopping from a smartphone or a tablet.
Mobile marketing is becoming more important for businesses and consumers alike.
The report highlights the impact that mobile marketing is beginning to have. Approximately 87% of consumers have noted that they have noticed mobile advertisements, with 61% noting that they are more comfortable with mobile advertisements than those they see on TV or online. Businesses that intend to remain relevant with consumers may need to begin taking mobile commerce more seriously.
