Despite Limbo’s recent release of the Mobile Advertising Report Q1 2008 stating that consumer retention of mobile ads is up 20% from a year ago, marketers are still hesitant to use mobile marketing according to Advertising Age.

Of the 219 million U.S. wireless subscribers, just over 30 million are on data plans, according to M:Metrics. That means more than 86.1% still use mobile devices primarily for talk, which isn’t optimal for mobile marketing; most mobile-advertising tactics require subscribers to have pricey data plans. The mobile web “isn’t a great experience, and it’s not generating enough demand,” said Julie Ask, a Jupiter Research analyst. In a recent Jupiter study, lack of audience topped the list of reasons marketers said they were not using mobile marketing.

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A recent increase in the percentage of cell phone users who can recall a brand they saw an ad for via mobile phone suggests a rise in the popularity of mobile search.  This reiterates the idea that mobile is one of the fasted growing local search mediums around.  It also proves that mobile advertising is increasingly becoming an effective way to reach consumers and even influence their buying decision. 

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A new mobile application allows consumers to check inventory at local stores via mobile phone.  Slifter will work with several big box retailers like Best Buy and tap into their retail feeds to supply the consumer with this information.  The main idea behind the application is to lead and track offline conversions.

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Google has quietly introduced a new, experimental mobile interface that emphasizes browsing instead of search.  An interesting choice for a predominantly search-focused application.

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This panel including participants Kevin Ryan (Vice President, Global Content Director, Search Engine Strategies and Search Engine Watch), Mike Grehan (Global KDM Officer, Acronym MediaSpeakers), John Battelle (CEO, Federated Media),  James Lamberti (Senior Vice President, Search and Media, comScore, Inc),  Lyndsay Menzies (Managing Director, Big Mouth Media), and Jack Menzel (PM for Universal Search, Google) was fiery at times as it felt like a Google interrogation led by Jack Battelle posing the question: Is Google becoming a media company? (more…)

Mahalo.com’s Jason Calacanis had a candid conversation with a packed ballroom and moderator Kevin Ryan. The house may have had search marketers of all kinds, but I suspect SEOs could have been there in high numbers due to the perceived history of SEO bashing on Calacanis’s part.  He began by clearing the air as he clarified that his past SEO remarks were directed at black even grey hat tacticians and proclaimed to be a Search Engine Optimizer himself, if making friendly content defined the practice. (more…)

“Connection between intent & content” was the topic of discussion in a panel moderated by Steven Kaufman (SVP Media Director, Digitas) and included panelists Andrew Goodman (Principal, Page Zero Media), Bill Barnes (Co-Founder & Executive Vice President, Enquiro Search Solutions Inc.), and Anton Konikoff (Founder and CEO, Acronym Media).

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