By Walter Elly
Senior Director of Internet Marketing

It’s been quite a ride, with predictions, projections and plenty of posts, now 2009 has closed and 2010 is upon us. The flying cars aren’t quite here yet, but iPhones sure are. When you hold one in the palm of your hand it really does feel like you’re living in the future. That’s because iPhones, and mobile devices like them, are the future: They are taking over telecommunications and as a result are transforming marketing. Social networking is now mainstream and it’s likely that we have the iPhone to thank for it.

Mobiles were born to communicate. In contrast, with computer desktops communication was an afterthought. Communications tools like terminal programs for modems, email clients and web browsers were added as a standard feature in desktop operating systems (OS) only recently in their history. This reflects the inherent challenge of today’s desktop OS and explains why Google’s recently announced Chrome OS is basically just a web browser. Google has rethought the desktop because today’s desktop OS doesn’t provide the best communications experience – it just gets in the way, instead of enhancing the experience.

On the other hand, with mobiles, the addition of applications was the afterthought. Apps as part of the mobile OS wasn’t a very compelling experience until the iPhone came along. The app store model created a new paradigm and as a result mobiles can now easily adapt as new forms of communication arrive. This has set mobiles on a course to take over all forms of telecommunication- not just the telephone (which happened in 2005 in the US versus landlines), but also email, the web and social networking.

Signs of this takeover include the fact that the iPhone is now the most popular handset in the United States. That’s right, not the most popular smartphone — the most popular handset, period. Then consider the fact that Facebook is the most popular application for the iPhone and you start to see the connection between mobiles and social networking. How deep is that connection? Well, let’s compare total iPhones sold over time versus Facebook unique visits, paying special attention to Q3 2008 when the Facebook app (and App Store) were released for the iPhone:

The graph indicates a correlation starting with the Q3 2008 release of the App Store and the Facebook app for the iPhone. This correlation could be due to the rise of the Facebook app capable iPhone leading to the rise of Facebook and/or vice versa. It’s important to note that prior to Q3 2008 you could use Facebook on the iPhone through the web. However the iPhone Facebook web experience was not the same as the rich and meaningful Facebook experience that the app provides. In fact, the Facebook app is so good that some call it the most useful app for the iPhone.

This synergistically driven growth created by the iPhone and the Facebook app could be responsible for the fact that now, in 2010, social networking is mainstream. As a result, it’s now possible to make contact directly, on a one-to-one basis, through social networks and social media, through a conversation with our customers, leads and prospects, directly to their desktops and mobiles. Efficient one-to-one marketing is now a reality. The promised higher ROI over traditional one-to-many marketing is finally being realized (complete with studies showing that socially engaged brands have better financial performance).

Big brands get this — the most recent example being Pepsi announcing that it would skip super bowl ads and invest $20 million into social media marketing instead. It’s time for the rest of the marketing world to make the shift as well and complete the transformation. Investing in large ad campaigns and PR blitzes isn’t effective enough on it’s own to maximize ROI. One-to-many marketing ROI is eclipsed by the one-to-one. To paraphrase HubSpot CEO Brain Halligan: it’s the thickness of your brain that matters, not the thickness of your wallet. To market effectively in the new one-to-one market one must invest in the creative. Create content, create conversations. Use your mind and win!

MicroArts Creative Agency is ready to connect with you to launch the next generation of one-to-one marketing for your brand, contact us today!