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The text message celebrated its twenty secondth birthday previous year. Few applications in the fast moving world of mobile communications can boast such remarkable long life. At this milestone era, the time has come to replicate on the impact of short message service (SMS) and what the future holds for consumers and operators, mutually.

SMS is the most booming service for mobile operators in telecommunications and it has been a big revenue generator. Every year there are stories about ending the 160-character service and every year SMS usage continues to go up as more and more uses are established for this service which has been ignored for a while. The success of SMS has been its straightforwardness, reach, price and steadfastness. All other messaging based applications launched since SMS has struggled to meet the patronizing expectations set by the service and pale in comparison to its achievement.

Industry-related reports have signaled to the opportunity in which SMS volumes and profits will go on to grow on an international basis for at least the next several years. What is going to drive this growth? Precisely, quite a few trends will drive the continued spread out of the service.

Here are some highlights of the Canadian SMS trend:

• Nearly one-half of Canadians (45 per cent) “can’t leave home without their mobile device”
• 53% of mobile users can access the Internet on their mobile device
• 52% of Canadians between 18 to 64 have a mobile device
• 24% of the sites accessed via mobile are not visited on PC
• 3 common mobile media use: store/product info, coupons/promotions, and brand info
• As of late June 2011, over 25 million Canadians are wireless phone subscribers
• Canadians send 199 million text messages per day
• 75% of Canadian households have access to a wireless phone
• Half of all phone connections in Canada are now wireless
• Wireless revenues in Canada totaled $18 billion in 2010

The age of mobile access has arrived! We live a mobile way of life. This existence has been fueled by a near omnipresent penetration and by new messaging, usage and functional applications. You can’t run away from it. Mobile devices are no longer just smart phones; they are also your tablet, used to fire up your car’s electronics, wireless home entertainment and home appliances. How we consume media has primarily changed.

Texting is at its best at the moment. American Idol being the prime example of it. The winner of Season 6 received 74 million votes with 609 million votes cast over the course of the TV season for a variety of candidates. In the last U.S. election way less people voted compared to the statistics mentioned.

Radio listeners can identify songs via their smartphones and Blackberry’s – allowing users to download the song or ring tone. There are QR codes, online price comparison, location based services, social media, deep discount and tablets.

A company in the U.K. allows cell phone users to send a text message the word ‘toilet’, and a satellite helps them pin down the location of the nearest toilet available. The satellite picks up the phone signals and uses it to find the location of the nearest place.

Location-based services use social networking tools that allow users to broadcast their whereabouts and invite friends to join them.

1. Get a response. Use SMS when you are looking for an immediate and high response rate. Response times to an SMS are also faster.
2. Use an SMS shortcode. Including a short code in advertising campaigns has been shown to boost response rates. In some advertising campaigns the uplift is over 10%.
3. Give an offer. Nearly all marketing gurus will tell you that an offer is vital. This is particularly so with SMS, as it is such an instant channel.
4. Provide a simple call to action. Many people make the mistake of having a call to action that is too multifaceted. For instance ‘register on our website’ sent in an SMS is too much. Making it simple and easy: ‘call us now’ or ‘reply to this SMS’ is likely to have the best response.
5. Target your audience. The mobile phone is a highly personal source of communication, so the better you target your clients the greater the results.
6. Make it personal. Personalizing a campaign can bring great responses. For instance, instead of offering a general discount, give the mobile user a voucher that can be cashed in.
7. Timing is everything. As SMS is so instant, the time of day is critical to the success of the campaign. Studies have shown that cell phones are used mainly between noon and 6pm. Even though it depends on the product, the best time to send a marketing campaign is late afternoon.
8. Respond quickly. Respond promptly once they have opted in to a mobile campaign. An auto reply is necessary for a short code, and follow up messages should be within a few days.
9. Gain the users trust. Make certain that you noticeably identify your company, and provide an opt-out route.
10. Use a clear opt-in process. Whilst it is all right to send either service messages or marketing messages to customers for similar products, without their prior consent, this is not always the best practice.

A QR code is one of the simplest codes to set up; in a nutshell it is a barcode with a URL attached. The QR code can link to any page the owner specifies, saving the requirement for manual entry of a URL.

Some brands have already started using QR codes in their editorials and use it in many different ways, but 99% of brands haven’t. The potential is there for QR codes, nevertheless, their uses are more or less limitless.

Here are 10 ways QR codes could be implemented into your business:

1. Till receipts  

Placing a QR code on the bottom of a till receipt has not been implemented completely in the retail business. This is a simple and lucrative way of connecting with a consumer particularly for brands with a mobile savvy demographic.

2. Product labels 

Whether on swing tickets or on the printed product information the QR code could link to a dedicated landing page that brings up all of the product information.

3. Consumer mailing  

Why not place a QR code on the bottom of all printed and digital communication directing to the landing page showing further content or indeed encouraging readers to opt in to electronic mailing instead of postal.

4. In shop windows   

Direct consumers to your store page for the location allowing them to bookmark the details including opening hours etc.

5. Public transport  

A QR code can be put on the back of every seat of the bus and you can sell the advertising space, the URL can be changed without re-labeling the seats. Advertising prospect also exists on the label.

6. At conferences  

Using QR codes can allow prospective clients to bookmark your special contact details, saving business cards and facilitating connectivity with the client.

7. On business cards  

Why not a QR business card and allow a landing page of detail about the business or individual.

8. Newspapers  

On every offline ad, put the QR code to divert to a digital experience or Facebook page.

9. Prescriptions  

Each drug that is sold comes with some sort of guidelines; placing a QR code on the packaging will help the patient to view the instructions online.

10. Virtual tickets

With mobile technologies growing each year, more travelers rely on their mobiles while away from the workplace. Many organizations understand this and have put QR codes to work for them. For example, many major airlines are using QR codes as boarding passes.

The above list contains practical uses in digital and offline marketing for QR codes.

With the dawn of New Year is the time when even the trends in websites should evolve; out with the old and in with the new in the year 2015.

Luckily for businessmen, much of the “old” website trends will be carried on into 2015, but there will be new trends to keep them vigilant and attentive towards the evolution of websites. If you’re a businessman who wants to stay with the times, then there are, definitely, things to remember in your business.

Think about a few of the website trends a lot of people anticipate will be coming:

1. Google Page Rank will lose its popularity and importance

Every year Google tries it’s hardest to rank websites based on links and overall activity, but the system has slowly evolved. This year it will likely change even more. While the system presently relies a lot on linking, you might see newer and more advanced methods this upcoming year.

2. Cell phones for surfing the web will be on a rise

The desire for the Internet on a mobile has grown with time, and this year it is no different. Reports claim that more than 1/5 of all searches will be done on a cell phone. Due to this, organizations are going to have to perk up their websites for mobile search convenience and this can be used as an advertising trick too.

3. Facebook will lose popularity due to other social networking sites 

Google+ can be seen as a competition for Facebook and will likely do better as well. According to a research, Facebook lost 6 million users in 2011. This number will probably keep on rising because people want newer and better social networking sites..

4. Real time analytics will be in more demand

With the addition of real time analytics to Google, more companies will become conscious to the fact that just how helpful these can be to a business. Now that Google has started to offer real time date, a lot other companies will be using this feature as well, to evaluate success.

5. HTML5 will surpass Flash

When it comes to web development, we are liable to see more companies using HTML5 enhancements. Additionally, smart phones will not be installing Flash for customers. This makes using HTML5 very significant for businesses. It is important that businesses follow the expected trends of website trends of 2015.

6. Video calling

The iPhones feature Face Time video calling. Already Skype has video calling for Android smart phones. This amazing technology has already come; it’s only a matter of time before it becomes common.

7. Better business-to-consumer connections

Complimentary Wi-Fi networks are increasing. A lot of people connect to the web on the move. Wi-Fi has helped bring more clientele to businesses, promoting picture sharing and social media connections and helping bond individuals to brands. This trend is anticipated to carry on and develop more.

8. QR coding gaining ground

The prime challenge facing QR codes is its lack of knowledge. Their capability to turn a static marketing piece into something engaging and fun is unique and has a ton of potential. But soon QR codes will have the capability to be incorporated with other applications on smart phones.

9. Mobile finances and e-commerce a focus

With mobile commerce showing considerable success for retailers such as eBay and a lot of  financial organizations are already seeing a high response rates to their mobile apps, it’s possible that there will be simpler more user-friendly platforms in the near future for such of services.

10. Bluetooth 3 & 4

More potent Bluetooth technologies are on the horizon according to many reports. In need of attention is the health care industry, so soon people can say goodbye to cords and wires… your doctor’s stethoscope will send signals right to a nearby screen.

Organizations require interacting directly with their team and members. Even more so, synchronizing schedules despite the fact that everyone is on the run. Many non-profits, government, political, religious and entertaining organizations have found great benefits using Onsms services.

If you’re answerable for facilitating communications amongst the members of a non-profit or community based organization you by now know that getting the message out to everybody is more complex than it should be. Direct mail is slow and email time and again gets lost trapped by SPAM filters. Group text messaging for community-based organizations is the way out to your communications problems.

Whether you represent a civic group, a campus organization, a non-profit, or any other sort of social group, Onsms can be of assistance to you to build an affordable, efficient text messaging program.

Onsms powerful, easy to use text messaging software allows you to build community cohesiveness and alert members to news, events, and other information. Unlike direct mail, our text messaging software is two-way, allowing members to get back to you right away.

For a non-profit or a campus / community civic group on a fixed budget, Onsms reasonable pricing structure allows you to harmonize your communications efforts professionally.

SMS Marketing has developed a scheme for political parties and candidates to set up contact with their potential young voters, using technology that they are at ease with, to build a connection.  One but has to look at the 2008 campaign to see how dramatic of a role SMS played in the Obama campaign.

Take a look at the younger generation in your city or town, walking down the street and driving in their cars. Look at how many of those are typing away on their mobile phones. Those people are messaging, communicating with their peers and other potential voters.  Text messaging is the most trending type of communication nowadays.  And, don’t forget, the texting age is getting older each day!

Youth is a hard to reach audience.  Anything that encourages greater involvement in the political process is a huge gain.  There’s no better way to target youth than through their mobile phone.  That’s why sms marketing is such a great marketing instrument.  Approximately every text message sent is delivered and read without delay.  Items of interest can be forwarded to friends, expanding the reach of your mobile political campaign.

Messaging is the easiest, most efficient way to get the word out about your runner or political party. SMS Marketing can facilitate you leverage this new marketing channel to help your campaign and make your candidate the political leader for voters.

There is really no more powerful way to reach a huge voting audience as the statistics say it all:

• 18-35 year old consumers use text messaging more often than voice to communicate.
• On average, 94% of text messages are read.
• 80% of consumers keep their mobile with them all day.

Text messaging for political campaigns can be leveraged to power:

• Emergency & Media Rapid Response
• Mobile Polling
• Field Operative Communications
• Geographically / Demographically targeted communications among grass-roots supporters
• Meet-up coordination
• Mobile Petitioning
• Promoting Money bombs

The vast majority of parents and kids now carry mobile phones. This means text messaging can offer schools and colleges with an instantaneous, reliable and lucrative method for contacting parents and students straight away.

Schools can now use the power of mobile messaging to contact parents and students to share information in an extremely time sensitive style.

Text messaging for school can be used for:

• Broadcast emergency alerts (school lockdowns)
• Broadcast event notifications
• Broadcast class cancellations (rescheduling)
• Alerts to parents of ill children
• Alerting parents for delayed school buses
• Alerting parents for local dangers, such as stalker
• Broadcasting snow day notifications

Many of the above uses, without text messaging, currently involve considerable costs to the school, including labor and telephonic service expenses.

With our Messaging Services, schools can make broadcast lists organized by group, such as staff, students, parents, making it easy to promptly set up a targeted broadcast message to the relevant group. Messages are sent and received almost instantly, ensuring the aptness of the information.

Using Text SMS Marketing’s text messaging software you can:

• Reduce current costs
• Be more effective in delivery of information
• Provide a higher level of security to the school

Our SMS Messaging Software provides the total solution for implementing and deploying text messages for schools. Technology has removed the barriers to the timely and efficient distribution of information to a target population.

In today’s extremely aggressive entertainment and media landscape, where publishers are fighting for a share of notice and profits, it’s more imperative than ever to find new and interactive ways to connect to and entertain your audience.

Mobile marketing lets you reach a targeted audience and has a response rate that is more or less on the spot and higher than traditional direct marketing channels. It is cost efficient, fast to put into practice and easily quantifiable.

Onsms offers entertainment providers an award winning text messaging software and mobile marketing platform so you can effortlessly use sms short codes and send and receive bulk SMS using a wide range of mobile marketing campaigns.

You can choose from a variety of entertainment mobile marketing solutions including text to win, text voting, mobile coupons (mobile offers) and SMS trivia for in-venue contests and sweepstakes, text to screen for direct interaction with event attendees and text message alerts and text clubs for ongoing communication with your customers about upcoming events, discounts and special offers.

Whether you’re a music company, Record label, Movie Company, event or concert promoter, or nightclub owner, or any other entertainment provider, Onsms can mold a mobile marketing solution to meet your requirements.

• Mobile marketing for Radio

Onsms has managed to stay at the top of their game by helping hundreds of radio stations and companies promote their brands, engage listeners, sell sponsorship and generate new revenue.

• Mobile marketing for Television

As traditional ad budgets get smaller and media utilization continues to fragment, broadcasters ought to find new and interactive methods to engage audiences and generate revenue. Whether your goal is to increase viewing, create new sponsorship opportunities or generate awareness.

• Mobile marketing for Sports and Entertainment

Whether you need to sell tickets or merchandise, increase loyalty, drive fan engagement or improve the in-venue experience, Onsms has the tools and resources necessary to help you devise an effective mobile marketing strategy.

This generation of technology obsessed customers demands more than an email, and businesses who sell to that audience can leverage the latest in new media to accelerate business growth.

Go far beyond email and mobile marketing and start using the latest in communications, online publishing, and social media. Stay in constant contact with your opt-in audience via any or all modes of communication with just one click.

Advertising agencies have know-how of what works best for their customers. And thriving ad agencies know that you have to be ahead of the creative curve to create profit for your clients. When considering the types of advertising methods today, it includes text messaging.

Email marketing has lost its gleam since unprincipled companies began sending spam.  Often, e-mail is read when convenient, not when it is received which is what makes Onsms different. This is beyond internet advertising. This is immediate mobile marketing. It is marketing that is welcomed by the consumer and it gets to them right in their pockets.

The Onsms lets an ad agency use a completely branded mobile marketing service for their clients. Provide sub-users with the ability to View, Edit, Add/Remove Groups and Add/Remove Campaigns. The custom controls allow marketing departments and users throughout their company or organization to log in and self-manage various mobile marketing campaigns. The opportunities are endless for ad agencies – as simple as providing a simple text code or mobile ID to a 30-second spot or radio commercial. In addition, customer campaigns and interactions can be tailored by the account executive, creative director or others – by logging onto Onsms site and launching a new campaign.

Campaigns can include the following:

Tagging Commercials with Text Codes to provide information-on-demand

• Create Loyalty programs
• Text 2 Win
• Mobile Contests
• Mobile Ticketing
• Sweepstakes
• Mobile Couponing
• Mobile Messaging for branding and sponsorships
• Text a Question
• Email Capture by SMS
• Mobile Website delivery
• Social Media campaigns
• In-Store Redemption and Promotion

As consumers become more and more aware, it’s important that you reach out to them in the way they correspond. Mobile marketing in the form of text messaging; it is one of the most efficient tools at your disposal.

So, what is mobile marketing for retail? It is an advanced marketing strategy that literally puts your message in your customers’ hands. Imagine you’d like to hold a sale, but only for clients who have been faithful to your brand. Some time ago you’d send out a mail, or maybe an email. Retail promotions like these are strenuous and time-consuming to implement. With a mobile marketing campaign you can contact hundreds (or even thousands) of customers in seconds.

With our web-based software service you can also conduct Mobile Couponing campaigns, a growing solution that is handy, individually targeted, and not to mention, paperless.

With mobile marketing solution, Retail promotion ideas, you never dreamed of are suddenly possible. Direct action means immediate results. Our texting service is easy to use, allowing you to focus on developing an influential, cost effective retail marketing campaign that utilizes the latest technology.

From smartphone applications to streaming video, a number of new technologies can directly translate to sales. Retailers can use cellular phone to market new promotions through mobile coupons and SMS clubs.

Advantages of mobile marketing:

• Mobile has become a new platform for retailers to reach customers with marketing messages.
• Bar codes to be read directly off the screen of a mobile device.

Mobile couponing is increasing in popularity, along with e-loyalty and mobile ticketing applications.