Operators second only to family in “most trusted” list; MMS preferred to SMS
Research has suggested that subscribers trust mobile operators almost as much as they do their own friends and family.
The IAB – the trade body for mobile and online advertising – and the DMA – the trade association for direct marketing – investigated attitudes towards messaging-based advertising. They found that operators are very well paced to provide a trusted place for advertisers to send their messages to new customers. Consumers’ trust of operators was second only to friends and family, according the survey response.
Another interesting point from the survey was that amongst those opted in to operator databases and exposed to messaging campaigns, it was the MMS ads that had the most impact. Clare Messenger, head of commercial development for mobile messaging for Orange said that this was because consumers prefer the richer, more creative experience that MMS can offer.
Whilst both the SMS and MMS to opted in operator databases drove an increased awareness and recall of the brand, MMS recall rate amongst the opted in operator databases was over 3 times that of the SMS.
Perhaps less surprising was the finding that consumers are far more likely to be more positive (246% more positive, to be precise) about mobile advertising when they are opted in to an operator database. Shaun Gregory, Managing Director of O2 Media, said that customer satisfaction with the opt-in method had been part of the reason for the operator driving over a million opt-ins and 1,000 campaigns in the year since it launched.
“In the year since we launched O2 More we have seen our base grow rapidly and this has very much been down to the relevancy of the messages customers receive. I believe it is all about gaining the trust of the customer. I am delighted this study has shown there is a desire for customers to opt-in to, alongside some well needed validation that messaging is the ‘premium style’ inventory of mobile marketing, and indeed should be commanding a well needed premium,” Gregory said.
The study found 5 main barriers to getting consumers to opt-in to mobile messages from brands, which form the basis for a series of guidelines from the IAB and DMA to help advertisers and agencies engage further with the mobile audience.
1. Awareness: 32% of consumers did not know about this type of service, or the benefits associated. The IAB and DMA recommend promoting the offering using existing relationships and touchpoints, and welcoming consumers with an initial message once you have their details.
2. Perceived cost: This remains one of the most significant barriers to getting consumers to opt-in, with many believing that it will cost them money to receive messages from brands – 71% of respondents were wary of any costs that may be associated. It is essential that marketers are exceptionally clear in their communications with consumers of the costs associated with mobile messaging, which are often zero and should consider making responses also free.
3. Relevance: If consumers are to accept brand messages on their mobile devices, they remain adamant that these offers should be relevant and targeted – 71% saw unwanted messages from brands as a real barrier to opting-in. Brands have a real responsibility to let consumers know what kinds of messages they will be receiving, with a clear activation and retention programme.
4. Control: As always, consumers are keen to retain control over the mobile messages they receive from brands – 70% of respondents were concerned about having no control over what was sent to their phone, whilst 61% were worried about not be able to opt-out once having opted-in. Whilst reassuring consumers about the frequency of mobile messages is important, brands are required to adhere to the ‘Universal Stop’ policy, which makes unsubscribing easy.
5. Privacy: In line with digital communications in general, consumers are very conscious of sharing personal information – 64% of those surveyed did not want to opt-in to SMS or MMS because they thought they may have to share personal details. From the outset, brands need a clear communication to give consumers confidence that their privacy will be protected, and ask permission before sharing details with any third parties.
You can see more information release from the IAB here.