BII MOBILE INSIGHTS: Is 2013 The Year Of Mobile Payments?

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What Were The Top Trends In Mobile In 2012? (Econsultancy)
Was 2012 the year of mobile? No, and in reality trying to say that any 12 month period can be heralded as the "year of mobile" is nonsense in an industry that is already well established yet also constantly evolving. But that doesn't mean there haven't been any important trends and innovations in the mobile industry this year. For example, we've seen more brands start to realize the importance of operating a mobile optimized site, a growing awareness that tablets are a vital part of e-commerce and a move towards embracing responsive design, particularly among publishers. To shed more light on the most important mobile trends from 2012 and do a bit of future gazing to next year, here are thoughts from several mobile industry experts:

Trends in 2012:

Mobile shopping
Brands offering mobile experiences
4G coming online

Trends for 2013:

7-inch tablets
Mobile payments
Contactless services

The article also covers experts' favorite apps.

The Future Of Mobile Commerce (Econsultancy)
Mobile commerce (m-commerce) has grown like no other form of retailing, and some retailers are even going one step further to make buying via a smartphone or mobile a completely different experience. M-commerce has dramatically changed the way brands reach customers, making it faster and easier for consumers to make purchases on the fly while avoiding the hustle and bustle of the high street. 2013 may also finally be the year for video content in m-commerce. A few businesses have dabbled in it but with faster broadband speeds enabling retailers to use rich media content, expect mass adoption next year. But in an industry where change is the only constant, predicting what lies around the corner is anyone’s guess. No doubt 2013 will be a fascinating and innovative year for mobile commerce.

mobile ad forecast U.S. Mobile Ad Spending Jumps To $4 Billion In 2012 (eMarketer)
U.S. mobile ad spending is growing faster than previously expected, due in large part to the success of so-called “native” ad formats like Facebook’s mobile newsfeed ads and Twitter’s Promoted Products. eMarketer expects overall spending on mobile advertising in the US, including display, search and messaging-based ads served to mobile phones and tablets, to rise 180 percent this year to top $4 billion. eMarketer’s previous forecast, made in September 2012, was for substantially slower growth of 80 percent, to just $2.61 billion. Now eMarketer expects U.S. mobile ad spending to reach $7.19 billion next year and nearly $21 billion by 2016, a significant upward revision.

What Every Content Marketer Needs To Know About Mobile (copyblogger)

Your audience now chooses how they learn, where they learn, and when they learn. If your business only connects with customers on the desktop, you’re not only missing a huge opportunity to grow your business, but you’re pushing business away and possibly to your competitor. Think about your daily routine for a second; checking your email from bed, first thing in the morning is pretty common. Here are 4 mobile strategies you can incorporate into your business:

Connect immediately with a text message
There’s an app for that
Mobile landing pages can sell too
Make email mobile

Are you mobile friendly yet?

Google: Mobile Isn't the Problem, It's The Opportunity (Forbes)
What’s wrong with Google’s ad business? It looks like something serious, considering that reports about it in October set off a sustained share price drop and at least three downgrades. The problem, then and now, is the price of a Google ad. Google’s revenue from ad sales on smartphones and tablets are growing fast. And advertisers generally pay less than half as much for a Google ad accessed on a mobile device as they do for something searched from a plugged-in PC. But it's the sort of problem Google has experienced before, with PC ads. As the Internet quickly caught on and Google perfected its effectiveness as an ad vehicle, its average ad rates rose quickly. As a result, so did its profit margins. It’s a safe assumption that Google’s ad prices will rise as more users come onto the mobile platform and Google learns better how to perfect ads there. In other words, we have seen this story before.

Are You A Mobile Superhero? (Mashable)
Unisys did a research project with Forrester Consulting, conducting surveys with more than 590 businesses around the globe. The researchers found that mobile devices are making workers more productive, making them 35 percent more likely to collaborate with colleagues than those who are phone-less. The mobile elite also drive innovation within their companies, compelling their co-workers to accept change through the power of tech. But every superhero has his Kryptonite, and for these smartphone-toting men and women it seems risk-taking is their hubris. They are two times more likely to download unauthorized apps to get work done, putting their companies and fellow workers at risk of a security breach.

being a mobile superhero

Check out the full infographic for more.

Infographic: Mobile Payments Guide (payvia)
This infographic has some cool stats on the rise of digital goods this holiday season and their purchase via mobile devices. It also provides some tips for retailers on how to maximize this holiday season with mobile payments.

mobile payment infographic