In yesterday’s blog we started the countdown for 2014’s mobile accomplishments. We will pick up where we left off and continue the countdown for this past year’s hand-held feats.
Mobile payments gain acceptance
With the introduction of mobile payment with Apple Pay this year, mobile payments gained a lot of ground in public acceptance. Big brands’ acceptance of mobile payment helped the movement, with companies like McDonalds, Nike, and Target accepting Apple Pay as a form of payment. Apple also made improvements to its iAd business, which will help marketers track if their mobile ads were in fact responsible for product sales.
Apps sell like hot cakes
Facebook is the dominating force in the land of mobile apps. Every other mobile app wants to be them and compete for advertising spend with them. Facebook is the leader in app install ads, and other social platforms are trying to follow suit. Twitter, Google, and AOL have all introduced ad formats reminiscent of Facebook’s to help drive app installs for advertisers. Advertisers have found that apps can be great revenue generators, so practically every big name consumer brand is rolling out their very own app for consumer use.
Virtual reality enters the mobile-sphere
Virtual reality has been a buzzword for several years, but it wasn’t until Facebook acquired Oculus in 2014 when marketers started to get excited about the possibilities. Big brands, including Mountain Dew, Fox, Game of Thrones, and Wrigley, are starting to play with the idea of using the Oculus Rift for marketing purposes.
Snapchat introduces ads
Until October 2014, Snapchat was an advertisement-free platform where millennials could share pictures without the worry of said pictures getting into the wrong hands. But Snapchat couldn’t resist the revenue producing lure of selling ad space on their platform. So, to the delight of many millennial focused brands, Snapchat introduced its first ads in October. Some of the more notable brands that took part in the ad buying frenzy were Disney, Taco Bell and Karmaloop.
Yahoo makes strides in the mobile market thanks to Tumblr
Yahoo reported making $200 million in mobile sales during the third quarter of 2014, making them likely to surpass Twitter for the number three spot in mobile players next year. This growth is in part due to Yahoo’s wise decision to purchase Tumblr in 2013. Tumblr’s mobile users were up 45 percent year-over-year in October of 2014, and it is predicted that 65 percent of the platform’s users use the mobile app. Tumblr saw great success in terms of engagement with its branded native ads and sponsored posts, yet critics are skeptical as to whether the engagement can translate into sales.
Facebook pushes Messenger
Facebook took a great risk in buying out mobile messaging app Whatsapp for $16 billion in 2014. This acquisition took place so that Facebook could amp up their mobile messaging game in order to compete with other brands like Kik, Snapchat, Whisper, and Line. Following the investment, Facebook has pushed their messaging app hard, complete with a TV ad and outdoor advertising for the app.
Only the future can tell what will come of mobile. With the introduction of so many new technologies, it is nearly impossible to predict what is in store for the mobile future. One thing is certain, the future looks exciting. Here’s to a happy, technology-filled, and hacker-free 2015!