Digital media has seen great innovations in just the last few years. Over the next two years three emerging trends will have a huge impact on the digital media industry.
The first is the in the area of mobile gaming. Gaming has evolved from the console to multiplayer, now to social gaming. One of the major trends in social gaming that will increase in the future is the sale or distribution of free games through mobile app stores. These games now follow a similar business model as entertainment sites like blogs in that they will let people access the games for free in order to build up their audience. They will then sell in game upgrades that will allow players to advance farther, more quickly.
Two more trends that work hand in hand is the decrease in the use of web browsers to access the Internet coupled with the increase in the use of the mobile Internet usage of mobile applications that access the Internet. Wired magazine recently published an article that explains this phenomenon. It is all about control. Mobile applications give people control over the information that is delivered to them and it is provided in a way that is convenient and easily accessible no matter where you are.
All three of these trends have to do with mobile technology. Though in-game sales are not new, as the number of players increase we will also witness an increase of in game advertising. Not just banner ads on the title screen, but the kind of product placement that we observe in movies and on console games. This will be a great source of revenue for publishers in the future.
The same rings true for all mobile applications. If these publishers are able to obtain both the geographic and demographic information of their customers this will create a great opportunity for marketing. The smart marketer will use this information to give targeted local ads to players, while providing local businesses with an opportunity to give to offer discounts to and other special promotions to people in their area.
The increase in mobile internet usage holds great opportunity for marketers. Emails are great but the new gold lies in a customers cell phone number. With SMS open rates at 98% companies should be looking for new ways of engaging with customers. Companies that take the time to develop quality applications will attract their customers and put themselves in a better position to engage with them and send promotions through a medium that commands attention.
