Mobile Social Networking and Gaming

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Content and Advertising Platforms

How do game developers make their money? Content portals often purchase applications from developers or host them and take a cut of the revenue generated from download costs. Alternatively, revenue can be created through advertising on the site or within the game itself.

In order to create a marketplace for content creators and consumers to meet and do business, content portals make it easier for both publication and purchase.

According to M-Biz Global, one such content portal, 50% of users who have accessed content on a trial basis are likely to buy them (a total of four clicks later). Comparatively, only 5% pay for a download without any prior trial period.

Mobile advertising platforms, such as the esteemed AdMob, allows brands to advertise on targeted mobile sites and portals. The platform makes publishing, managing and optimising mobile ad campaigns as freely available to the public as Pay Per Click advertising.

  • Of the 116 iPhone applications represented by AdMob at the time, 5% had more than 100 000 active users during May 2009.
  • In February 2008, AdMob displayed 1.18 billion ads on mobile phones in the US, and are said to receive an average of 6.3 billion ad requests per month worldwide.

Application Programming Interfaces

Depending on the platform, developers generally have certified tools to work with. An API, or Application Programming Interface is a set of standards which is made available to the programmer or developer in order to streamline and standardise the application process. 

Outlining the communication functions, languages and protocols, an API may be used for internal development or released to the public for open source development, depending on the nature of the application.

The difference between an API and a Software Developers Kit (SDK) is quite minimal. An SDK is a compilation of documentation and/or tools which the developer can download (especially third-party developers) and create their own applications, widgets etc.

Case Study – Vodacom Rugby

Vodacom, one of South Africa's primary mobile service providers and a major sponsor of local rugby, are in no way newcomers to the mobile Web. But with millions of eager rugby fans in the country, Vodacom realised that they could increase brand loyalty and improve their reputation by creating a site for the many looking for information and entertaining content.

“Vodacom is the greatest supporter of rugby supporters” and decided to create the Player23.co.za fan portal and content network, with the focus on mobile access through player23.mobi.

Bleeding off from Vodacom’s many TV, radio and print campaigns, the site was designed by Multimedia Solutions (a South African based mobile solutions provider) to be accessible from any basic Internet-enabled phone.
 
Users could register to join the network for free and enjoy team and league information (fixtures, logs and live score updates etc.) as well as exclusive content and entertainment downloads (wallpapers, multimedia downloads and player and cheerleader interviews).

The free mobile Internet destination was developed to be an online portal for sport fans, reinforcing the Vodacom sponsorship. After the first weekend alone, the portal had received 2 978 hits, 20 198 page hits, 1940 videos, audio and photo downloads and 440 video views.

Further Discussion

  • How can a branded application form part of a holistic mobile campaign for smartphone users?
  • Why would social networking sites want to create and publicise API and SDKs?
  • Apart from geotagging, what other elements may feature strongly with mobile social networking sites?
  • What are the advantages of in-browser applications over traditional installations for the consumer?

What’s Up Next?

Mobile 101: Chapter 9
The Mobile Wallet

Using mobile phones to make payments is hardly a new technology - after all, behind every SIM card is an account.

Chapter 9 of the Mobile 101 series walks you through the more advanced financial services, including mobile banking, payment platforms and applications and other commercial functions.

References

Alleven, Monica [November 2008] Report: Mobile Ad Recall Growing
http://www.wirelessweek.com/Mobile-Ad-Recall.aspx
[Accessed May 25, 2009]

Bigmouthmedia.com [May 2009] Mobile Internet use and ad spend booming
http://www.bigmouthmedia.com/live/articles/mobile-internet-use-and-ad-spend-booming.asp/5885/
[Accessed June 30, 2009]

Darius [September 2002] Re: Whats the difference between SDK and API
http://www.programmersheaven.com/mb/java/140371/140371/whats-the-difference-between-sdk-and-api/
[Accessed May 25, 2009]

Dredge, Stuart [Date Unknown] M:Metrics talks mobile games
http://www.pocketgamer.biz/r/PG.Biz/news.asp?c=8070
[Accessed June 30, 2009]

Durrell, Jim [Date Unknown] Mobile Game Marketing (Greystripe)
http://www.mmaglobal.com/articles/mobile-game-marketing-greystripe
[Accessed July 1, 2009]

Facebook.com [Date Unknown] Facebook Connect
http://developers.facebook.com/connect.php
[Accessed July 1, 2009]

Higginbotham, Stacey [March 2008] iPhone Users Are Having More Fun
http://gigaom.com/2008/03/18/iphone-users-are-having-more-fun/
[Accessed May 25, 2009]

McCarthy, Caroline [March 2009] Nielsen: Twitter's growing really, really, really, really fast
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10200161-36.html
[Accessed June 31, 2009]

McGiboney, Michelle [March 2009] Twitter’s Tweet Smell Of Success
http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online_mobile/twitters-tweet-smell-of-success/
[Accessed June 31, 2009]

Mmaglobal.com [Date Unknown] Player23.mobi - The Super 14 Rugby Portal (Multimedia Solutions)
http://www.mmaglobal.com/studies/player23mobi-super-14-rugby-portal-multimedia-solutions
[Accessed July 27, 2009]

Mobiadnews.com [Date Unknown] BuzzCity Report Shows Explosive Growth In Mobile Internet
http://www.mobiadnews.com/?p=2274
[Accessed July 28, 2009]

Mobilemarketingmagazine.co.uk [March 2009] M-Biz Global Reveals Download Stats
http://www.mobilemarketingmagazine.co.uk/2009/03/mbiz-global-reveals-download-stats.html
[Accessed May 25, 2009]

Ostrow, Adam [February 2009] Social Media Stats: Your Significant Other is Shady
http://mashable.com/2009/02/10/mobile-dating-stats/
[Accessed May 25, 2009]

Socialmediatrader.com [April 2008] 38 Social Networking Sites For Your Mobile
http://socialmediatrader.com/38-social-networking-sites-for-your-mobile/
[Accessed May 25, 2009]

Techcrunchies.com [January 2008] Most Requested Mobile Service
http://techcrunchies.com/most-requested-mobile-service/
[Accessed May 25, 2009]

Techcrunchies.com [February 2008] Growth of Mobile Social Networks
http://techcrunchies.com/growth-of-mobile-social-networks/
[Accessed May 25, 2009]

Techcrunchies.com [January 2009] Industry Growth Rate of Downloaded Mobile Games
http://techcrunchies.com/industry-growth-rate-of-downloaded-mobile-games/
[Accessed May 25, 2009]

Von Tetzchner, Jon [December 2008] State of the Mobile Web, December 2008 and 2008 Year-in-Review
http://www.opera.com/smw/2008/12
[Accessed July 1, 2009]

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