Mobile technology is a multi-billion dollar revenue generator. Media companies that are late to the current mobile market can get on board with smartwatches.
Watch the news!
2014 ended with a major shift from online usage to smartphone and phablet usage for most news Web sites. The user decides where and when he wants to use a content offering, a media brand. And the user will switch the source if the offering is not suitable for mobile or for personal usage.
If we are honest, do we live and feel in the mobile world? Or do we still stick in the online world?
As you can read on multiple blogs about this channel, mobile content is totally different to fixed online Internet content. Editors have to think and write differently, and the time stamp is more important. Personalisation could be one of the criteria to measure success.
But changing the editorial way of producing mobile-focused content is not enough to be successful. You have to change two other units: IT/development and sales (advertising and premium content).
All of your units should have dedicated mobile-only teams. These are the digital stars where you have to invest. Online is your cash cow: minimum investment, maximum margin.
Have a look at the news from two companies recently:
Apple reported an unbelievable revenue for Q4 2014 of US$74 billion. And where did it come from? The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6+.
Facebook also reported impressive Q4 figures: 1.19 billion of 1.39 billion users are mobile users. Mobile revenue makes up 69% of the revenue.
This shows that:
The smartphone and phablet market will grow in 2015 faster than in 2014.
You can’t say there is no money in the mobile market.
If you are aware of what time it is, you can probably surf on the upcoming new wave: smartwatches! Breaking news, pictures, and, in the near future, videos will be watched on smartwatches first. This device will be a direct line from news companies to every single user.
Don’t miss the wave and be as late as you are in the mobile market. Start investing in the next star!