Removing the barriers to mobile marketing success By Mark Curtis, CEO of Flirtomatic

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

The last few months have seen a flurry of media activity around mobile marketing, with particular focus on mobile advertising. As the advertising business seeks to arrest its general decline, mobile would seem to be a viable option – with the potential for advertisers to tap into a new market and target highly specific consumer groups.

What is holding mobile advertising back from spectacular takeoff? Well, it’s still early days and, as with any new market, awareness between buyers and sellers is still developing. But another factor, which the industry needs to attend to urgently, is holding things back. The mobile advertising market is guilty of stifling its own potential growth due to a lack of transparency over usage rates. Brands have little or no standard usage data available to them to inform their decisions. And the blame for this has to lie with the various mobile content sites themselves.

A bold statement perhaps; but let us consider the situation. My company, Flirtomatic, regularly releases user data, and we received 110 million WAP impressions in October of this year. This figure compares favourably to our own web impressions (we are cross platform and have a web as well as mobile internet presence), but this is the only way we have of measuring how well our WAP site is doing.

While some will be quick to point out that the Mobile Data Association does currently release monthly figures on the overall number of people using WAP, my response is that this is not sufficient. The truth is that without numbers for each mobile content site, or a sense of the top 100 sites in the UK, how do advertisers know what to expect or what scale of usage they are dealing with comparatively?

Other data needs to be standardised, for example number of registrations is good, unique monthly users is better and more meaningful – but a standard for what exactly a monthly user is would need to be adopted. Logins per day is another area of interest. Where websites typically advertise their dwell time (if it’s good) a more appropriate measurement on mobile may be logins per day per user (there are technical reasons to do with the way the mobile pages are served by operators that make measuring dwell time on WAP a challenge).

Maybe other mobile content sites are reluctant to put these figures out into the public domain, as they feel they do not stand up to comparison with some of the current Web numbers, but the mobile internet is a far younger and still emerging platform. It will need time to approach the levels of unique users and usage the web enjoys.

Whatever the reasons may be for not releasing the figures, there is an urgent need for a consistent measurement of specific usage rates. Otherwise, we will be stuck with the status quo - where advertisers are not willing to risk their budgets on something they feel they can’t measure.

Also, there is a need for the operators themselves to really get behind mobile marketing. In the early days of the web the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) wielded the majority of power. Many advertisers found themselves beholden, to a certain degree, to the ISPs as they were the portals through which users accessed the internet and were therefore the best place for advertisers to be seen. This effect has been amplified on the mobile platform. Traditionally, the operators have adopted a walled garden approach to the mobile internet, meaning that they have been the gatekeepers to all mobile content. They decide what is on their portal and what isn’t, which has meant anything that occurs on the mobile internet has to have the operators say so.

The good news is that the operators have grasped the possibilities of mobile advertising - with trials of various advertising models by Orange and Vodafone, and with the introduction of their own advertising sales and inventory teams. But they also need to realise that for mobile advertising to achieve its full potential, they need to support and guide it. Guide it by using their massive influence to ensure standard practice and accountability guidelines are in place and support it by remembering to empower the mobile content sites, and loosen their grip on channel, revenue collection and business delivery.

Trusting the mobile content sites is one aspect, but if they can do this whilst offering best value and clear, transparent communications across the market, then it will be very much in their own and everyone else’s interest – by working together we can really make mobile advertising a spectacular success.

Flirtomatic passes half a million registrations and calls for more transparency in mobile web usage reporting

Tuesday, November 1, 2007

As cross-platform social network Flirtomatic passes 500,000 registrations – with a quarter of these on mobile - its CEO, Mark Curtis, warns that the mobile advertising market is stifling potential growth as a result of lack of transparency over usage rates.

While recent media coverage has hyped the potential for advertising on the mobile internet, there is little standard usage data available with which brands can make informed decisions.

“Almost no mobile content owners are currently divulging their usage rates,” says Mark Curtis. “This makes it very difficult for content owners themselves to benchmark their usage rates, let alone brands deciding where best to advertise.“

“We’re currently seeing an acceleration in mobile registration against that on PC. What’s more, Flirtomatic received 110 million WAP impressions in October ‘07. This compares very favourably to the web, however, it is currently nigh on impossible to compare these figures with any other mobile content owners.“

The Mobile Data Association currently releases monthly figures on the overall number of people using WAP but there is no consistent measurement of specific usage rates. Many mobile content owners are unwilling to release statistics.

“We are, of course, very excited to have generated such high engagement with Flirtomatic – both measured by half a million registrations and the very high mobile page view levels. For us and other companies trying to build the case for mobile advertising it’s now crucial to buttress early success with industry benchmarking. The mobile web has still further to go to reach the required level,“ adds Mark Curtis. “Mobile content owners must begin to become more transparent with regard to usage rates, in order to engage the advertisers and major brands now actively showing interest in the mobile web.“

Flirtomatic: “The Future of Advertising is Mobile“. Flirtomatic announces Admob deal

Tuesday, October 4, 2007

Flirtomatic has newly enlisted the services of Admob, and early signs reveal that the mobile sales agency is on track to meet the recent increase in demand for Flirtomatic mobile media. The news is another major development for the online and mobile based flirting service which boasts partnership deals with Screen Tonic and 4th Screen Advertising. Recent brands to run mobile advertising with Flirtomatic include household names Smirnoff, ITV and O2.

Gigi Dryer, commercial advisor at Flirtomatic, comments, “With both Google and Yahoo moving into the mobile advertising space, a clear trend has been identified. The potential of mobile advertising has been talked about for a long time, but it is only now that it is coming to fruition. The rapid growth in mobile advertising revenue which Flirtomatic is experiencing further exemplifies this change. “

The advertising industry has been forced to look beyond traditional methods to reach consumers in recent times, as consumer behaviour and habits have moved away from TV and radio towards new mediums. Flirtomatic believes that everything is rapidly falling into place for a boom in advertising on mobile.

Mark Curtis, CEO of Flirtomatic, “The latest advances in mobile technology, coupled with the fact that so many of us now own or make regular use of a mobile, mean it is finally ready to fulfil its potential as the ideal platform for advertisers,“ explains Curtis.

“Consumers use mobiles for an increasing number of activities - checking emails, keeping up to date with the latest news, shopping and of course flirting! By understanding mobile usage and users, advertisers can target their market more directly than ever before.“

Mobile marketing has been boosted by the recent decision by the majority of UK operators to revamp their mobile internet packages - making it easier and cheaper for people to get online whilst on the move. Also, recent research has revealed there are now more mobiles than people in the UK - some 71 million handsets for a population of 60 million*. Advertisers have an ever growing audience to tap in to.

Given mobile advertising’s rapid evolution, it’s easy to see why so many leading brands are keen to promote their products and services on the Flirtomatic WAP site – which has a registered user base of over 500,000 and rising. In addition, Flirtomatic recorded more than 100 million WAP impressions in August 2007 - a little over a year after the service’s launch.

“As one of the UK’s most popular mobile destinations we have seen a surge in the number of brands interested in advertising on Flirtomatic,“ says Curtis. “The growth potential in this sector is huge and companies need to act quickly or risk letting their competitors take the lead.“

Flirtomatic’s new WAP and Web music service helps The Hedrons quadruple online album sales

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Flirtomatic, the UK based mobile and online flirting service, today announces a sharp rise in mobile usage rates, with more than 100 million WAP impressions for the month of August - making it one of the UK’s most popular mobile destinations.

This represents a 100-fold increase since November 2006. Flirtomatic’s mobile advertising revenue has also grown rapidly within this period as a direct result of the influx of new users and page impressions.

Mark Curtis, CEO of Flirtomatic says, “The capabilities and potential of online entertainment services, combined with the feature of mobility, can unlock a wealth of opportunity for new brands - provided you get it right. “

The company launched in the UK last year as the first cross-platform flirting network and has quickly built a registered user base of over 400,000. The free service, of which 75% of users are between 18-30 years of age, enables members to connect,
meet and flirt.

The number of Flirtomatic visitors per month has swelled almost 100 times since August 2006 and this surge in consumer take-up can be largely attributed to tailored initiatives established by Flirtomatic to drive usage to and from the mobile. The
introduction of Value Added Services (VAS) in April 2007, have resulted in a six-fold increase in Flirtomatic’s monthly revenues since March 2007.

“These figures highlight the fact that it is not necessary to be affiliated with portals to drive high usage rates on the mobile.” adds Mark Curtis. “So long as dedicated initiatives are put in place to grow a customer base on mobile, there is now sufficient
mobile Internet volume to quickly develop a strong take-up. However, the opportunities available to operators are clearly underlined and such partnerships could result in even greater revenue opportunities.”

Avi Azulai, Chairman of Flirtomatic says, “The introduction of Flirtomatic is increasingly attracting mobile users to online entertainment services. We have also seen a dramatic increase in the demand for mobile advertising space, which the company is in a strong position to take advantage of. Flirtomatic is now a major mobile brand in the UK.”

Following the clear demand for its services and the consumer interest from outside of the UK, Flirtomatic is researching the US market entry for expansion over the coming months.

In June 2007 Handmade Mobile Entertainment, the holding company of Flirtomatic, raised funds from Doughty Hanson Technology Ventures, Seraphim Capital and founders.

Flirtomatic’s new WAP and Web music service helps The Hedrons quadruple online album sales

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Over 9,000 users downloaded The Hedrons’ single through online flirting network Flirtomatic’s new music service over the ten day trial period, results revealed today. This has led to a fourfold increase in digital album sales over the same period, as well as hits across all Hedrons-related web platforms rising substantially.

The female four piece from Glasgow’s single “Couldn’t leave her alone” was available free of charge through Flirtomatic’s music service, which allows bands to promote, distribute and sell their music, whilst flirting and chatting with members online. The service, which was launched in June, is available on both the web and mobile - enabling mobile members to listen to tracks streamed directly from a WAP site.

Gigi Dryer, commercial advisor of Flirtomatic, explains “Every member who logged into Flirtomatic, across both mobile and the web, received a flirtogram from the band promoting their track. The music service allows bands to directly target 82,000 unique monthly users and interact with them on an individual level, leading to more sales, downloads and online conversations, as seen with The Hedrons.”

Dougie Souness, MD, No Half Measures, comments: “The Flirtomatic network has proven to be the perfect fit with The Hedrons fan-base and the success of the campaign is further testament to the power of online and digital communities across both the web and WAP.”

Flirtomatic launches music service across WAP and Web with female rock band The Hedrons

Sunday, 8th July, 2007

Users can flirt with music artists and download tracks straight to mobile

Flirtomatic today launches a new music service, with Glaswegian born rock band, The Hedrons. The band is the first female music group to have a profile on the flirting site and the new service allows them to promote, distribute and sell their music, whilst flirting and chatting with members. Setting Flirtomatic apart, the music service is available on both the web and mobile - enabling mobile members to listen to tracks streamed directly from a WAP site.

Gigi Dryer, commercial advisor, Flirtomatic, explains the thinking behind the launch of the service: “With more than 80,000 unique monthly users the Flirtomatic network offers bands and artists a direct and targeted promotion platform where they can engage with an already established community, in a way which is personal, relevant and fun. Whilst members have the opportunity to discover, sample and purchase new music all in one place.”

Dryer continues, “The music service, which extends across both the web and mobile, gives our members the freedom of greater interaction and accessibility to music, at home and on the move.”

Every member who logs into Flirtomatic, across both mobile and the web, will receive a flirtogram from an artist promoting their latest track. Launching the service is The Hedrons, with their single, “Couldn’t leave her alone”.

The music service is available across all mobile networks and is free of charge (mobile network charges may apply).

Dougie Souness, MD, No Half Measures, comments: “Remaining true to their online roots, Flirtomatic is the perfect fit for The Hedrons, who have always been actively involved in online and digital communities. The network enables the band to get personal and chat with members whilst promoting and selling their music.”

Flirtomatic targets international expansion with £2million VC funding

Tuesday, 12th June, 2007

Handmade Mobile Entertainment Ltd, which devised and launched Flirtomatic, the cross-platform flirting service, has closed a £2 million Series B Round of financing from both existing and new investors at Seraphim Capital, the venture capital fund. Flirtomatic is the UK’s first online flirting service, offering an integrated service across both the web and mobile.

Mark Curtis, CEO, Flirtomatic comments: “The VC funding will speed up our international expansion over the next 12 months, launching localised services across selected territories. Having already proven our business proposition in the UK, international expansion is top of the list for the year ahead, and already we have seen clear evidence of this demand internationally, from users and mobile operators.”

In the UK alone Flirtomatic now boasts 100 million page views per month across both the web and WAP and a total registration base of 380,000.

Mark Boggett, Investment director, Seraphim Capital comments: “Our research demonstrated that, based on current monthly page impressions, Flirtomatic is already one of the top ten mobile internet sites in the UK.”

Usage levels are currently four to five times higher than industry norms, with mobile users visiting the site on average more than 8 times a day, and web users spending longer on Flirtomatic than main stream social networking sites such as Facebook.

Curtis continues: “The financial investment will also enable the brand to further develop our ability to offer targeted advertising opportunities on both the web and WAP.”

Flirtomatic has also recently been the first company to launch gender based targeting on WAP, providing advertisers with a new and more accurate way to reach audiences.

Flirtomatic is continually exploring new avenues to diversify revenue streams across its member network and recently completed trials of a range of premium content services on both the web and WAP. Premium content services have opened up an extremely powerful advertising medium to brands, with sponsorship of relevant gifts and features enabling intimate engagement with consumers as they communicate with each other. The success of the trial has resulted in this becoming a permanent feature across the network.

Flirtomatic uncovers strong take-up for social network value-added services

Wednesday, 9th May 2007

WAP demonstrates, strong mobile take-up

Flirtomatic, the cross-platform flirting service, has completed trials of a range of value-added services (VAS), designed to stimulate revenues across its member network.

The four-week trial has demonstrated a particularly strong uptake from mobile users - two times greater than online. With an average of £5 per user being spent over the test period, VAS is now set to become a permanent feature across the Flirtomatic network.

Mark Curtis, CEO of Flirtomatic, explains, “The introduction of VAS has demonstrated a clear appetite for users to pay for additional features relevant to the Flirtomatic experience. The strong uptake on mobile highlights the sticky nature of the medium and its close fit with a service such as Flirtomatic.”

“VAS opens up an extremely powerful advertising medium to brands, with sponsorship of relevant gifts and features enabling intimate engagement with consumers as they communicate with each other. We are currently in discussions with a number of brands to develop tailored sponsorship opportunities.”

As part of the new service, members are now given the option to purchase credits to reveal who has rated their profile highly or bid to have their profile displayed on the opening screen. Members can also purchase virtual gifts, to give to 'friends' on the network, with Flirtomatic testing a range of gifts to-date - ranging from a virtual massage to champagne, chocolate or flowers.

Flirtomatic launched last year as the first cross-platform flirting network and has quickly built a 350,000 plus, registered user base The free service, enabling members to connect and meet by matching profiles, drives extremely high usage levels with an overall of 78m page views per month across both WAP and Web.

Flirtomatic goes past three major milestones in one day

Monday, February 5, 2007

Flirtomatic, the UK based mobile and online flirting service, passed three major milestones on the same day at the end of January. On Tuesday 30 January it reached 13 million wap page views in a month, 250,000 registered users in total, and coincidentally it’s users sent over 250,000 flirtograms (or flirty messages) to each other for the first time that day.

In January over 40% of Flirtomatic’s usage came from mobile users on the wap version of the service who are rapidly showing an insatiable appetite for flirting – generating over 13m wap page impressions in the month – up three times on December levels and ten times on November.

The service was launched fully in 2006. The recent rapid growth of the mobile side in particular has been enabled by the expansion of wap marketing opportunities through innovative media partners such as 3 and Admob.

CEO Mark Curtis commented: “There was a pleasing but unplanned symmetry about the three figures coming together on the same day. We are very happy that our belief that flirting needed its own dedicated service has been justified – not just by the rapid uptake but also by the huge volume of flirty transactions taking place on the system. The word we most often hear from our users is “addictive” and the numbers back this up.

It’s particularly good to see that usage is so strong and growing on mobile too: it proves that when you a cross platform offering is right, then the mobile is at least as effective a tool for accessing the internet as a PC browser.

For the user that means people, fun and entertainment wherever you are.”