• by Chris Brassington , Matthew Garlick , September 17, 2009

The number of mobile phones in Argentina has now surpassed the number of inhabitants, and with 3G networks in place, more transparent data plans and social networking applications promoted on carrier's on-device portals, mobile users are increasingly using their handsets to do more than just make phone calls.

Mobile Web usage is still in its nascent stages in Argentina, trailing traditional Internet usage which hovers around 49% (Prince & Cooke, December 2008). But with the sheer number of mobile phones in the market, it is only natural that this channel could become subscribers' primary mode of accessing the Internet in Argentina and throughout Latin America in the years to come, leading to an exponential increase in opportunities for mobile advertising.

Currently, very few content portals in Argentina monetize their mobile traffic; the exceptions to the rule include Clarin, La Nacion, Yahoo, GlamOut and a few others. This will change in the coming years as mobile handset technology improves and consumers grow more comfortable with accessing the Internet through their phones.

The mobile phone offers incredible opportunities for smart advertisers looking to communicate their key messages in Latin America. Why? There are a number of key benefits associated with mobile advertising. According to eMarketer, the average click-through rate of traditional online banners fluctuates between 0.11% and 0.19%, while mobile sees upwards of 1% to 3%.

There are a number of hypotheses surrounding these higher rates, but one that is clear is that users are not bombarded with multiple ads as they are in the online world. Less room on the small screen of a phone means fewer ads and fewer distractions which leads consumers to click through and learn about a product or service. With limited space, messages are forced to be more concise, making it easier to quickly grab a user's attention.

Further, ads can be highly segmented, targeting specific devices, times of the day, location and relevant content in order to speak to consumers at the right time and place. Most importantly, measurements such as brand recall, likeliness to purchase and overall ad effectiveness are much stronger compared to traditional web campaigns.

Here are some best practices to take into consideration when developing a mobile advertising campaign.

Optimization Is Key

A mobile banner campaign will likely include an opportunity for consumers to click through to a mobile site. Keep in mind that you cannot just cut and paste content from your existing Web or offline marketing materials. Smaller screens mean less room for content. Focus on providing concise messages that are easy to understand and relevant for consumers on the go. You may want to consider turning to an expert in the development of mobile sites for input and direction on the best way to execute a mobile site or campaign landing page.

Make It Relevant and Actionable

Like any direct marketing campaign, mobile advertising should have a call to action allowing consumers to respond in the form of providing contact information, learning more, making a purchase, signing up for a service, etc. Starwood Resorts and Levi's are key examples of successful mobile advertising case studies. In the case of Levi's, consumers who were likely to be back-to-school shopping were prompted to click through for a coupon code that could be redeemed at a retail store. Starwood offered click-to-call technology that connected potential travelers to Cabo San Lucas with sales people ready to assist in planning their next vacations.

Monitor and Measure

To help monitor the ROI of your campaign and determine its effectiveness, advertisers should always measure the results. Mobile advertising allows you to measure everything from page views and unique visitors to carriers, click through rates, number of leads captured and the type of devices used to access the site. Analysis of the Levi's campaign uncovered an interesting usage statistic. While iPhone, BlackBerry and other smartphone users drive the majority of mobile Internet traffic in the U.S. and Europe, this was not the case for Levi's in this Latin American campaign, reinforcing the need to continually measure and optimize.

As mobile Internet usage continues to grow in Argentina and Latin America, more consumers will be using their handsets to access information and interact with brands. This will present smart marketers with even more opportunities to reach consumers. Are you ready?