Mobile Strategy is Social Strategy
The case I present to broadcasters developing mobile strategy is without taking account for social media planning is incomplete. A ReadWrite Mobile post, sponsored by Alcatel-Lucent, explores the developer ecosystem for mobile apps which covers software. Technology is key, however, it should be considered last in strategy development. First think about the consumer, the audience, the user.
The Pew Research Center publishes the electronic paper “Rise of the Apps Culture.” The study postulates eight out of ten Americans use cellular telephones and that has aided development of the “apps culture.”
“Among the most popular are apps that provide some form of entertainment (games, music, food, travel and sports) as well as those that help people find information they need and accomplish tasks (maps and navigation, weather, news, banking).”
Pew Research cites year old data based on The Nielsen Company’s Apps Playbook but the Nielsen blog linked here has more recent stats. Data for mobile apps and usage evolves daily. Likewise, use of social media grows every day. Urgency to get social and mobile is constant.
Developers are doing some really creative work with apps. New programs for social networks and other media are developed at a rapid rate. It’s a race to meet consumers on their turf.
I spent last Tuesday evening at Harvard University’s Nieman Journalism Lab learning about Knight Foundation’s News Challenge Contest. The competition kicking off in days is titled “Knight News Challenge ’11: Mobile, Authenticity, Sustainability and Community.” The challenge is built around developing content for mobile and social or community. Knight funding realizes mobile strategy is social media planning.
Edison Research conducted a recent study calculating one hundred percent growth in daily usage of social media in just the last year. Edison’s report on frequent social networkers points to a transformation in lifestyle for many Americans.
I tried to provide enough sources of data to support my assertion mobile planning is social media strategy.
James Rowe
