The state of affairs for mobile content is dire at the moment. Brands are not thinking long-term or putting resources into discovery. They are also not thinking strategically about how mobile content is different from website content. This presentation outlines current mobile content imperatives and offers strategies for better mobile content experiences and higher return on investment.
How to Troubleshoot Apps for the Modern Connected Worker
Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? Presented at the STC France Content Strategy Forum 2010. Erin Scime
1. Mobile Content:
The Return of
Shovelware?
Erin Scime | April 16, 2010
@erinscime
www.dopeData.com
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 1
2. Click to edit Master title style
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A bit– about HUGE
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3. How we’re structured title style
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Structure
• 140 Employees
• Headquartered in New York
• Founded in 1999; owned by operating partners
and Interpublic Group
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5. Recent mobile launches
Newsweek Reuters iPad
Flashback
It’s Always Sunny in Readers Digest
Philadelphia Life IQ
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6. Why focus on
mobile content strategy?
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 6
7. We’re not thinking strategically.
“We have $50k to burn.
This iPhone thing seems cool -
Let’s try something with that!”
“…and we’ll launch it in 3 weeks!”
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8. We spent so much time optimizing
content for this….
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 8
9. ….but what about this?
• Searches here take 3x longer than desktop
• Much lower usage than online
• Users are more focused on an immediate
answer rather than on the breadth of
information.
*The Online Reporter, 2008 Rider Research
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10. Digestion of content is different for
each screen
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11. Shovelware doesn’t work.
print web mobile
Different user context
Strong hardware constraints
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How –dolevel we
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optimize» Fifth level
for this thing?
13. Better define mobile
content strategy
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14. Same principles as web CS:
1. Make content meaningful
2. Increase findability
3. Optimize the way content is delivered
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15. Same essential questions
• Identify target
• Differentiate from competition
• Resources to create and manage it
• Long-term plan
• Return on investment
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16. More than just a hunch
User Analytics Case Studies
Research
• Qualitative • Quantitative • Live mobile projects
• Discover what users understanding of how • Industry best practices
love about content in the people digest mobile
moment content
• Read public reviews • Visibility of pathways
(often usability hints through content
here)
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17. But a slight shift in approach
Web Content Strategy Mobile Content Strategy
•Major clean up of entire holdings •Subset of holdings
•Long-term analysis & planning •Freedom in creativity with subset
•Content is managed •Content is pushed
•Tell multiple stories with content •Tell a single, focused story
•Significant editorial restructuring •Minor editorial restructuring
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18. More often with mobile, the content
defines the final product
Reader’s Digest
• Archive of facts
• Target audience = young to refresh brand
• End product = game
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19. Sometimes the app better serves
the content than the site
take the digital
shopping list to
the store
use it in the
kitchen while
cooking
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20. Click to edit Master title style
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– Second level
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» Fifth level “You are a
publisher.”
- Kristina Halvorson
21. Click to edit Master title style
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You are level also a
• Third level
– Fourth
[content] designer.
» Fifth level
22. 1. How will you architect
your content?
2. How will you position the
publisher?
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23. Click to edit Master title style
• Click to edit Master text styles
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Especially for mobile
• Third level
Content Strategists
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must think like
Designers.
24. Layering
Mashing
Mixing
Contextualizing
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25. 5 ways developing
content for mobile is
different
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26. 1
The regain of editorial
control
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27. 2 entry points
vs.
Content makers at the Publisher in control of
mercy of search engines experience
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28. Users actively choose you from a
giant list of options
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29. When they are ready, they choose
to look inside
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30. Return of the tastemaker
Hey reader!
These are the select stories I want
you to see
• Momentary undivided attention
• Control over what readers see first
• Position of authority (tastemaker)
• Prioritization and communicating a
clear POV via a curated set of
headlines
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31. Traffic reveals opposing trends
Website Mobile
Homepage
Category
Content
Less time spent
Higher bounce rate
More time spent
Source: *HUGE study of news content sites Lower bounce rate
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32. 2
Mobile is always “on”
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33. Mobile users live in a 360°
environment
• Short attention span • Need to Tweet or send directly to
• Multi-tasking / “wasting time” Facebook, Digg etc.
• Sudden interruptions
• Momentary social context
• Connection speed
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34. Mobile users move around a lot
May not be the
The best content same all around
for here
WAP site • time of delivery
may be • context
better for • subject matter interest level
globalization • languages
• local device trends
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35. Context dependent on geography
May not be the
The best content same all around
for here
• time of delivery
• subject matter interest level
• languages
• local device trends
• local news needs
• billing/transactions
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36. Use is 24 hours a day…..
Source: *HUGE study of news content sites
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37. …7 days a week
Source: *HUGE study of news content sites
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38. 360° explains why the top apps
are:
• Communications (social networking sites)
• Weather
• Utility
• Games
Source: *Nielsen Group iPhone Diary Study, 2009
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39. 3
The target may be extra
niche
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40. A niche
audience may
be totally
different than
web
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 40
41. Moms use mobile as family device
[especially working moms]
Entertain Plan Share
Source: HUGE user research, Nielsen Wire, Sept 2009 report, Razorfish Digital Mom report
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 41
42. The niche audience may not match
device trends
A similar market share
exists for N. America.
But this doesn’t mean
every product should be
an iPhone app
*source: Quantcast 2009 reporting of mobile platforms
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 42
43. Business folk use BlackBerries
Harvard Business Review Financial Times Wall Street Journal
($2.99) (free) (free)
Are Apple apps the biggest return on investment?
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 43
44. Tourists = extreme device diversity
One good case for WAP
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45. 4
You have to make money
differently
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 45
46. Is it premium?
(hint: premium does not always mean current content)
• App cost: $2.99
– previously 99¢/episode
• Unlimited streaming to past
shows (all evergreen) –
previously unavailable on
site.
• Link to radio station in
Chicago
• Helping to pay for the popular
podcast ($100k to run)
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 46
47. Diversified apps = 3 ways to
monetize
NY Times news NYTimes property NYTimes crossword
search puzzle
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 47
48. Increase in-store sales with
contextual online content
Sephora utilized
mobile voice to allow
shoppers to access
reviews of products
they had in their
hands.
-UPC or product name
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 48
49. 5
The viewing platform
triggers a conceptual shift
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 49
50. Mobile content must match
intimacy of the device
• Proximity and tactility
• Interaction = immediate response
• Hyper-personalization (dashboard of hand-picked apps)
• Situational context
• Navigation mechanism (touch, ball, stylus)
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 50
51. Give content the right home for
the right user case…..
E-trade for iPad E-trade for iPhone
Dedicated On the fly
time to market
research decisions
Juxtaposed, multiple Deep dive plunge
layers simultaneously
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 51
52. …assuming that “home” will be
around for a while!
Platform arms race
Taptu projects by 2011: Gartner Inc. projects Forrester predicts
by 2012:
HTML5 will reduce
1. Mobile Touch Sites 1.Symbian need for app
2. iPhone 2.Android
3. Android 3. iPhone Android & Symbian
Series will be the next
round after iPhone
hype
*Sources: Taptu report “The State of the Mobile Touch Web” Jan 2010
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9139026/Android_to_grab_No._2_spot_by_2012_says_Gartner
“Forrester 2010 Mobile Trends”, Jan 2010
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 52
53. platforms / operating systems
updates
research
technology
Mobile content strategists
must be content designers!
carriers
spatial design
interaction best practices
amount of content per page
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54. [gulp]
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 54
55. You can do it.
The challenge
Tight competition
Goal = Value Proposition:
Sucky mobile search Content worth
In-the-moment use of device
pursuing & spending
time with it
Frequent technology changes
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 55
56. Build in time for a discovery phase!
Upfront research &
strategy are key for
preventing shovelware.
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 56
57. Hypothetical case: recipes
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 57
58. Determine what you have to start
with that your target wants….
• How-to & technique demonstrations
• Articles about food & cooking techniques
• Images
• Facts
• Chef profiles
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 58
59. …then limit and focus.
Is there such thing as How long is content
too much content? valuable?
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 59
60. Figure out the level of effort for
repurposing it…..
Images Video
•Rights •Dimension
•Dimensions •Platform player
•Source •Load time
•Title, Bylines etc. •Length
•Source
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 60
61. ….multiple times
If you start here…
Project content
needs for these
platforms
What’s the level of effort for
repurposing content for multiple
interfaces?
• screen size & orientation
• navigation: touch v. ball v. stylus
• AJAX compatibility
• geo-location
• Load times
• Caching ability
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 61
62. Create a plan for how content will
be featured in more than 1 place
Print / Broadcast assets Core Site
Micro-site /
Campaign site
Newsletters
Brand
Brand X Web Assets
X iPhone app
Marketing
Mobile Touch Site
Email blasts Mobile Assets Blackberry app
Social
Media Android app
3rd-party
platforms
Twitter WAP
Facebook
iTunes
YouTube
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63. Then think like an
UX designer
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 63
64. Position features/functionality to
support content imperatives
• Track saved content (between site and apps)
• Integrate social media (users & branded personalities)
• Allow topic following as much-needed time shortcuts to
desired content
• Serve what you think they’ll like based on their behavior
and location
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 64
65. Customize content for the situation
•Break up content to match recipe pace
•Font size from avg. distance from screen
•Rules for max character count
•CMS
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 65
66. Others in your networks
cooking
15 seconds ago
ClassyCook78
via Twitter
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 66
67. Find what’s on sale & where for
your shopping list
$6.99/lb
$7.69/lb
$7.89/lb
4 on sale near you
Buy one, get one!
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 67
68. Utilize geo position & user
willingness to contribute
User submits in-the-field
image, idea or
commentary
-sale
-final image
-video
-rare ingredient
-pairing solution
Publisher gets free
content!
User gets notoriety!
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 68
69. Is there an opportunity for new
partnerships / revenue models?
One-click e-commerce integration
From The Naked
Chef cookbook.
“Buy it for your
Amazon Kindle app”
Coupon for this ingredient
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 69
70. Don’t underestimate the effort this
takes
• Don’t assume you can use all content from
web (often sourced from multiple places)
• Rights
• Image quantity / quality / resizing
• Hurdles to link back to live site
• Timeline constraints (this app was made in
3 weeks!)
• Consider metadata & CMS limitations for
management once live
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 70
71. Don’t just launch it.
Learn from it.
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 71
72. Push for better analytics
Tagging is number one reason we can’t better synthesize
mobile data. Push to make this a priority.
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73. How to analyze with data:
• Compare website vs. mobile site vs. applications
• Watch overarching traffic patterns through content
• Optimize your content & refine information architecture
based on these findings
What to look at:
• Overall visits, time spent, pages viewed
• Where and when people spend time on the different
channels, content types or topics
• What sections or page-types are the bouncing from?
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 73
74. Return on investment
Goal Metric
Increased engagement • Average time spent on content pages
• Bounce rate
• Downloads :: repeat visits
Enjoyment •Usability testing
•Repeat visits
Brand viability Social Media measurement tools
• number of external throws to social media
• number of throws to brand properties
Financial • increased sales
• optimized resource allocations
• retrieved content production & management costs
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 74
75. Refine your mobile content
strategy over time
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 75
76. Thank you!
www.hugeinc.com
45 Main Street, 2nd floor
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Call us.
Phone: +1 718 625 4843
Fax: +1 718 625 5157
info@hugeinc.com
HUGE | Erin Scime | Mobile Content: The Return of Shovelware? | STC Content Strategy Forum April 16, 2010 76
77. Appendix: Content checklist
What slice works for behavioral trends?
Different enough to make money off it?
Level of effort for repurposing for mobile platform(s)?
Can it be brought in front of a registration/log-in?
When is it most valuable to the mobile user?
How many resources to maintain it?
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