Looking towards the future of publishing…

I recently headed over to Google headquarters in Cambridge for a DMA (Direct Marketing Association) breakfast entitled “Big thinking. Small Commitment”. The hour and a half session featured Lawrence M. Kimmel (DMA’s CEO), Michael Becker (Managing Director North America at Mobile Marketing Association), and Brian Schmidt (Director, Americas Sales at Google Inc.). The event was all it promised to be, fresh and exciting ideas interspersed with impressive stats illustrating the growth of the mobile market and how users are currently spending their time online. Here are some of the fun facts to know and tell that I walked away with.

1. In the US, 30K new grocery stores products are introduced each year with a 90% failure rate.
2. The average person in the US experiences 5,000 advertisements each day.
3. In 2010 there were 5.3 billion mobile subscribers worldwide.
4. Only 25% of cell phones in the US are smart phones.
5. 6.1 trillion texts were sent worldwide in 2010.
6. Android now has 25% of the market with 250K new phones activated each day.
7. Data use has passed phone use on mobile devices.
8. There are 2 billion people searching on Google each day.

The importance of mobile cannot be underestimated. Companies of all shapes and sizes (especially those in publishing) need to look at their business and think critically about how they can use mobile to engage and energize their current customer base, while reaching a new audience. So how does one do this? Brian Schmidt from Google explained that for them, mobile is the future of everything they develop and they use the “4 B’s” to help guide their innovation.

1. Be Relevant – One example of this is Google’s focus on locality. More and more users are turning to their phones to find information about the world immediately around them. This includes store hours, directions, movie times, or locating their friends via apps like foursquare. Think about a mobile solution your business can provide that acts as a tool on the go such as the Whole Foods Recipe app. The key is to get the right information, to the right person, at the right location and time. For me, having a recipe book and shopping list on my phone means I make more delicious food so that app hits all the essentials (me, at the store, in need of some inspiration)!

2. Be Found – The world is getting increasingly congested with chatter, clutter, ads, blogs, videos, clips, blips, and texts. How can you rise above, stand out, and capture your part of the market? Google realized they were missing an opportunity when it came to display advertising, so that is now a huge push for them. Sometimes the answers are so obvious they are hard to see. What are you possible missing that may be right in front of you?

3. Be Engaging – Who hasn’t received a digital laugh that they just couldn’t wait to pass on? One of my current favorites is “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On”. Clearly I am late to the game on that one, but that’s the beauty of these little gems. These things get a life of their own and can go on for years. It seems there is always someone who hasn’t come across it yet and for them, it’s as fresh as it was day one. Whether it’s an ad campaign like “Subservient Chicken” or it’s just a clever bit that someone pushed out into the digital ecosystem, its power is in its ability to engage and inform. Think about how your advertising can both engage and educate.

4. Be Accountable – Lance Armstrong has been referred to as “Millimeter Man” because he is always looking at all the variables (his diet, his training, his bike, his gear). He is constantly making tiny adjustments that shave off fractions of a second. Fractions add up! For example, Google looked at the blue they were using in their links. They tested 42 shades of blue to see what was going to attract the most clicks. Sounds silly right? WRONG!!! The blue they found to be most effective has a bit more red and has resulted in a $250 million increase in revenue from clicks. Perhaps it’s time to revaluate the little things. How’s your corporate identity? Has it been a while since it was designed? Perhaps it’s time to freshen it up. What about your website, sales approach, packaging, or mission statement? Look at everything and challenge it. If you cannot honestly say why it’s exactly as it should be, try to tweak it so it becomes more relevant (and effective) for today’s swiftly changing world.

As a closer, Brian shared with us some of Google’s predictions for 2016. Keep these in mind when considering your 5-year plan.

1. The big screens we are all introducing to our homes will be streaming digital content 80% of the time.
2. Mobile devices will enable 2/3 of all purchases.
3. Our phones will become our wallet.
4. Currently advertising is pushed 80% of the time. In 5 years 80% of it will be opted in.

What have you’ve done lately that has given your business an edge? If you’d like to share, please drop me a line.