Mobile Strategy Deck
for Stations
Developed by PBS Interactive and the Interactive Station
Advisory Council
Version 1
Mobile Landscape
Two Types of Mobile Phones
• Feature Phone:
– Send and receive text messages
– Basic cameras and Bluetooth support for handsfree communication
– Can run basic applications
• Smartphone:
– More advanced computing ability and
connectivity
– Allows the user to install, run and interact with
advanced applications, such as utilities,
multimedia, games, travel, news, social apps, etc.
– Runs complete operating system software
– More powerful processors and larger amounts of
memory
Mobile Access Quick Facts
• 99% of Americans live in areas where
next-generation wireless services are
available. (12/09)
• Almost 30% Wireless-only households
in the U.S. (8/10)
• 91% Wireless penetration of U.S.
population (12/09)
Sources: CTIA; Citi Investment Research & Analysis
Five Years to Mobile Dominance...
The User is Getting “Smarter”
Smartphones will overtake Feature phones by 2011
A Growth Market “place”
• Consumers will spend $6.8 billion in mobile
app stores in 2010
• Ad revenue expected to be $0.6 billion in 2010
• Mobile App Stores will reach 21.6 billion
downloads by 2013 ($29.5 billion in revenue)
• Ad-sponsored apps will account for almost
25% of all mobile app revenue by 2013
• 8 out of 10 downloaded apps are free
• Free apps find revenue: in-app charges,
shopping, ad revenue, etc.
Source: Gartner, Inc; 1/10
The Mobile Web We Weave
• Mobile Web reaches more people:
– Nearly 300MM data-capable devices
– 12 times the users than the largest app platforms
• From the Adobe® Scene7® Mobile Commerce
Survey (07/10):
– More than 80% of businesses surveyed have
deployed or are developing mobile Web sites
– 8% of respondents cited a downloadable app-only
mobile strategy
The Mobile Web We Weave, Part II
Source: Pew Research Center’s Pew Internet & American Life Project, 7/10
Mobile Trends Quick Facts
• Internet usage on mobile devices is projected to
overtake Internet usage on desktop computers by
2014
• By 2011, there will be more Smartphone users than
feature phone users
• Consumers will spend $6.8 billion in mobile app
stores in 2010
• Ad-sponsored apps will account for almost 25% of
all mobile app revenue by 2013
• There are more than 300MM devices with mobile
Web capability
• Over 50% of cell phone Internet users go online daily
from their device
• Apple’s iOS offers over 250,000 apps for download,
Android is the next closest with ~80,000 apps.
The Smartphone User
Who are they?
• 51% of Smartphone users are under 35
• 37% are between 35-54
• 12% are over 55
Source: comScore MobiLens, 11/09
• African-Americans and 18-29 year-olds lead the way in
mobile data application usage
Source: Pew Research Center, 7/10
• Slightly more males than females (53% versus 47%)
• Two-thirds of today’s buyers of Smartphones are
personal users (not just for business anymore)
• Roughly 77% of new Smartphone buyers remained loyal
to their wireless operator
• Significantly more satisfied (81%) with their device than
feature phone owners (66%)
Source: NielsonWire, 3/10
What platform are they using?
Share of US Smarphone Subscribers by Platform
July 2010, source: comScore MobiLens
45.0%
40.0%
35.0%
30.0%
25.0%
20.0%
15.0%
10.0%
5.0%
0.0%
RIM
Apple
Google
Microsoft
Palm
10-Apr
41.1%
25.1%
12.0%
14.0%
4.9%
10-Jul
39.3%
23.8%
17.0%
11.8%
4.9%
10-Apr
10-Jul
What are they doing?
Activity
Out of 100%
Texting
66.0%
Web Browsing
33.6%
Using Downloaded Apps
31.4%
Playing Games
22.3%
Accessing Social Media/Blog
21.8%
Listening to Music
14.5%
Web Browsing
Usage grew 2.5% since 4/10
source: comScore MobiLens (7/10)
Quick Facts about the User
• 51% of Smartphone users are under 35
• 37% are between 35-54
• 12% are over 55
• US Smartphone market share by mobile platform
–
–
–
–
–
RIM: 39.3% (~21 Million)
Apple: 23.8% (~12.7 Million)
Google: 17% (~9.1 Million)
Windows Mobile: 11.8% (~6.3 Million)
Palm: 4.9% (~2.6 Million)
• Texting is the main activity of mobile subscribers (66%)
• Mobile Web usage and Social Media have the largest
increase over the last three months amongst mobile
subscribers
Station Mobile Landscape
Based on the PBSi Station Mobile Landscape Survey
Conducted August 2010
Purpose of the Survey
• To provide an overview of the existing state, and
evolution, of mobile development among PBS
stations
• To create a useable reference tool for stations to
determine their own mobile strategy
• To help determine the outlook and need for mobile
products and support for stations
• Participation was voluntary. The survey was sent to
all primary Web contacts at over 165 stations.
• The survey was completed by 75 stations.
How would you rate your station’s interest in working the
mobile space?
Answer
Options
1- Not
Interested
2 - Mildly
Interested
3Interested
4 - Very
Interested
5Extremely
Interested
Response
Count
Interest
Level
1
4
20
24
17
66
answered question
skipped question
66
9
• Average level of station mobile interest was 3.79 out of 5
• Majority of respondents indicated “Very Interested” or
above in working in the mobile space
Does your station currently have a mobile strategy in place?
Yes
18%
No , but it is being
develo ped
47%
No
35%
How many staff members do you have, or plan to have,
dedicated to your mobile strategy over the next 12 months?
• Of 66 responses to this question, “one” is a common
response to how many station employees dedicated
to mobile strategy.
• Responses showed many station employees shared
responsibility for mobile, but no one was dedicated
full time.
• Several responses were “less than one person.”
Please rank your station's interest in the following areas of
mobile development*:
Content-based (TV Schedules,
program information, etc.)
Entertainment-based (Games,
video, audio, etc.)
Informational/brand/promotional
(Station information, events,
membership, etc.)
Other
Most popular “Other” areas suggested by respondents:
- Educational content
- News
- Social Media
* Respondents were able to choose more than one area of interest.
Content types/areas that your station is interested in
having as a mobile product*:
100.0%
90.0%
80.0%
70.0%
60.0%
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
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Do you have a preference or priority for
mobile apps or mobile Web development?
Neither
6%
Mo bile Apps
17%
Bo th equally
50%
Mo bile W eb
27%
Stations that currently have content designed for mobile Web:
• 57%: Do Not Have Content Designed for Mobile Web
• 26%: Have Mobile Web Designed Content
• 17%: Currently developing for Mobile Web
• Visit these station sites on your mobile Web browser:
• mobile.wlvt.org
• m.kpb.org
• m.knme.org
• iptv.org/mobile
• wfyi.org/iwir
• m.aetn.org
Stations that currently have a Mobile App
available or in development:
• 80%: Do Not Have a Mobile App
• 20%: Offer or are building a Mobile App
• Search iTunes or the App Store for these Station
Apps:
• WITF
• WHRO
• OPB
• PBS39
• WHYY
• UNC-TV
• KQED
• AETN
Station Mobile Landscape Takeaways
• Most stations interested in mobile, but …
• Resources are still very tight and mobile is
low priority due to other demands
• Equal demand for mobile apps and mobile
Web
• Where is Mobile COVE?
• Request for training and support
• Demand for “skinnable” Apps
PBS Approach to Mobile
Mobile Goals & Objectives
• Grow and engage audience
– Attracting new viewers
– Increasing the breadth of engagement
• Financial health
– Underwrite app development
• Serve the stations
– Drive on-air and on-Web tune-in
• Demonstrate innovation
– Not just “me too”
Goals and Metrics
Goal
1) Grow Audience
Performance Metrics
• Audience Size
– Uniques, PVs, downloads
– Size of new/under-served audience
• Engagement Indicators
– Repeat visits, time spent, user ratings
2) Financial Health
• Net Income
– Revenues less expenses
• Sustainability
– Apps living within budgets
3) Serve Stations
• # of localized users
• Amount of user data collected
• Revenue to stations
• Dollars Saved (from PBS tools & services)
4) Demonstrate Innovation
• Opportunities to pioneer in mobile space
Three kinds of apps:
Core Services
Strategic
Differentiators
Pioneers
Relevant
Goals
- Grow audience
- Serve stations
- Monetize
- Grow audience
- Serve stations
- Innovate
- Serve stations
Audience
Broad (General
Audience or KIDS)
Niche
Niche
Content
Aggregated – mainly
promotional & video,
program guide
Program-specific –
robust content, deep
engagement, native
functionality
Varies – should answer
experimental R&D or
market entry
questions.
Model
Free
Free or Paid
Free or Paid
Examples of each kind of app:
Core Service
Strategic
Differentiator
Pioneers
Obsolete
Example TV Tune-in
Martha Speaks
Dog Party
SUPER WHY! for
iPad & Antiques
Roadshow
Treasure Hunt
Ken Burns:
The National
Parks
Why?
Highly engaging
game content that
leverages the
touch screen
interface to
produce learning
outcomes.
SUPER WHY! iPad
was a first-day
release; the
Roadshow game
will be our first
cross-platform
app.
Offered promo
clips to drive
tune-in for
broadcast. TV
Tune-in app
will fill this
need.
Aggregates
promo clips
from many
programs and
promotes tunein.
Standing Out in a Sea of 1MM Apps
Our apps need to have a consistent set of attributes:
 Robust, original content
 Content depth expected from PBS
 Frequent refresh
 Consistently high-quality experience
 Smooth, crisp video (or fun, educational gameplay)
 Clean, accessible user interface
 Clear, intuitive navigation
 Optimized performance and load times
 Ongoing maintenance
 Localized experiences
PBS Mobile Achievements
• Released 7 apps (6 kids) since August.
– Two KIDS apps hit #1 in educational games genre.
– SUPER WHY! released on iPad at launch.
• Strong audience interest:
– 170,000 downloads
– 60,000 upgrades
– $175,000 paid app revenues
• Measurable learning outcomes – especially
for Martha Speaks Dog Party, developed inhouse by WGBH.
TV Tune-in App for iPhone
•
Goal: Promote upcoming shows and
past episodes available online and for
purchase on iTunes
•
Watch trailers, promos, extras and
behind-the-scenes, and featured
videos selected by PBS
•
Capable of displaying local and
national COVE content
•
View Local TV Schedules
•
Set alerts/reminders
•
Share via Email, Twitter, Facebook
•
Buy from iTunes
•
Monetization: sponsored splash screen,
interstitial ads
Target Launch: Fall 2010
Upcoming Mobile Development
Q1 FY11 (Jul, Aug, Sep 2010)
•
•
•
Enable key PBSi Infrastructure for Mobile
– COVE
– DTV schedule and Station Finder
iPhone “Tune-In App” v.1.0 (created by BottleRocket)
Mobile Strategy Deck for Stations
Q2 FY11 (Oct, Nov, Dec 2010)
•
•
•
•
•
iPad PBS Player App
Mobile COVE (m.video.pbs.org)
iPhone/iPad PBS-SDK Toolkit v.1.0 – TV Schedule Grid, Video Player,
Localization, Feed Reader, App Skeleton
Mobile Web PBSi v.1.5 – DTV/Airdates, Localization, Player, UUA
Mobile Web Toolkit v.1.0 -- for Stations/producers - HTML Templates w/mobile
CSS, Mobile Players, Sharing
Q3 FY11 (Jan, Feb, Mar 2011)
•
•
Mobile Web COVE (Station COVE)
Mobile COVE Portal – GoogleTV, Android Tablets
Building a Mobile Strategy
Considering a Mobile Product?
Use the questions below to help identify if developing a mobile
product is right for your station:
• Does building a mobile product help serve our
community and accomplish our mission?
• Do we have the resources to build and maintain
a dynamic content experience?
• What is the internal perspective on mobile?
What level of “buy-in” already exists?
• Do we have interest in mobile from outside
partners?
• Does mobile align with our Digital Media
priorities? Our business priorities?
Before you begin . . .
Answer three questions:
• How does mobile help serve our community?
• What audience are we trying to reach?
• Can we create compelling mobile
experiences?
Understanding the answers to these
questions will help determine if a mobile
product is right for your station.
Strategy
A well developed mobile strategy is crucial for determining what to
build, what resources to allocate, how mobile affects your overall
mission and what goals to set. Start here and develop a strategy.
• How does mobile serve our station mission/business
strategy?
• How does mobile extend our brand?
• What are our primary goals and how do we
measure? (e.g. – grow audience, increase
membership, etc.)
• What is a mobile’s relationship to our multi-platform
content? (i.e. – Websites, on-air productions, etc.)
• How do our mobile experiences extend community
engagement and incorporate our community
partners?
• What differentiates our mobile experiences?
Audience
The first step to deciding if mobile is right for your station is
understanding your audience and its needs. These questions will
help you understand your station’s mobile user profile:
• Are we trying to reach our existing audience or a
new audience?
• What are the needs of our mobile user?
• How do we reach the mobile audience?
• How likely are they to want our content in mobile
form?
• What are our audience’s mobile capabilities?
• What mobile content, if any, do they already look
for?
• What are the habits of a mobile audience that
would be interested in our content?
Content
Building a mobile experience requires understanding how your
content performs in that environment. Start with these questions:
• Can our content be translated to a mobile
experience?
• How much of our content do we "make mobile"?
• Does our mobile experience satisfy our audience’s
mobile needs?
• Do we focus on independent mobile content
experiences or ones tied closely to content on other
platforms?
• Will our existing content already meet our target
audience’s mobile needs?
• Will our content stand out and be able to compete
with other mobile products? Does it need to?
Use Metrics to Drive Decisions:
Regardless of how you answer questions about audience,
strategy and content. It is important set clear goals and
understand how to measure achievement of those goals. Using
metrics to drive your decisions allows you to:
• Determine whether app goal(s) were met.
• Inform decisions about the app:
– Do we invest more in this app?
– Do we need to modify the app to improve the
experience?
– Do we keep distributing the app?
– Where do we put our promotional effort?
• Inform future decisions about content mix,
functionality, and investments to green-light.
Determining What to Build
Understand the Mobile Space
The mobile space encompasses Mobile Web and Mobile
Apps
• Timely content is highly valuable in the mobile landscape
• Driving growth of you content depends on its availability
• Growth in content consumption is fueled by utility, quality
experience, and connection to the user’s lifestyle (aka be
relevant to being on the go).
Magid, Mobile Content Study, July 2009
• You may already have a mobile Web presence - Any Web site
can be launched in a mobile browser, but the user experience
may not be optimized for mobile
• Mobile Web and Apps are not mutually exclusive - Many
companies have both mobile products available (e.g. –
Facebook, Banks, YouTube, etc.)
Apps vs. Mobile Web
Skills required to
build and maintain
Functionality
Audience
Distribution
method
Controlled by
Apps
Mobile Web
Specialized programming
Web design
Tied to device
Tied to browser
Depth
(But fragmented)
Breadth
(300MM)
Push
(once downloaded)
Pull
(visiting site)
Wireless Carriers,
Manufacturers ...
Station
In Depth: Pro/Con - Apps
Pro:
Con:
• Access the phone’s core
features such as GPS,
camera, accelerometer,
contacts, etc.
• Faster user experience
(faster caching)
• Richer custom user
interface and user
controls (more
dynamic/graphical)
• Continue to function
when user is “offline”
• You may need to build
multiple apps to reach
audience using different
platforms
• Require more
specialized
programming
knowledge to build
(potential higher
development costs)
• Carrier/manufacturer
controlled marketplaces
(can vary by platform)
In Depth: Pro/Con - Mobile Web
Pro:
Con:
• Single mobile site can
work in most mobile
browsers (crossplatform)
• Building requires more
general skill set
• Existing site may
already be “mobile
friendly”
• Site creator controls
availability, publishing
and updating
• Wider user-base
• Network/connection
dependent performance
• Limited access to phone
features can limit mobile
channel functionality
and innovative potential
• Web browser
capabilities continue to
mature
• Requires connection to
either network or wi-fi
(can translate to carrier
charges for use)
Considering an App?
Use the questions below to help identify if an App is
the right mobile product solution for your content:
• Do you require access to the phone’s internal features,
such as the camera, GPS or other software?
• Does your content need to be immediately on-demand,
regardless of network/connection availability?
• Are you building a product dependent on advanced
user interaction, such as a game?
• Are you building something truly unique to the mobile
landscape?
• Does interacting with your content require specific
user interfaces or advanced application capabilities?
• Do you have specific revenue goals for your mobile
product?
• Have you already secured funding for the mobile
product?
Considering Mobile Web?
Use the questions below to help identify if Mobile Web is the right
mobile product solution for your content:
• Is your content more informational in nature?
• Is your content generally static/evergreen?
• Do we want to reach the audiences across multiple mobile
platforms?
• Is your access to development/funding resources limited?
• Do you want to be able to provide immediate, quick updates
to your content?
• Do you use Web technologies that you want to integrate into
your mobile product (such as Wordpress or Drupal)?
• Are you most concerned about the best return on your
investment (ROI) for your mobile product?
• Are you new to the mobile landscape and just want to test the
waters?
Ways to Get Started
While developing mobile products can be costly (some apps can
cost upwards of $80,000), there are ways to “go mobile” on a
budget. Here are some areas to think about.
• Optimize your current Web site for Mobile
• Install mobile plug-ins or templates for your site’s
Content Management System (CMS)
• Take advantage of RSS feeds: Convert your Blog, Events,
Station News and Community News into an app
• Local Resource Directory
• Mobile Social Media: Facebook and Twitter are already
mobile friendly
• Local Program Apps – Relate your app to the program
content
• Member Benefits Geolocation App – Business partner
discounts to members based on their location
Takeaways
Consider a process like this:
Research Audience
Strategic
Development
{
Define Goals & Strategy
Determine Core Platform
Scope Product
Publishing &
Promotion
{
Create Distribution Plan
}
Product
Build
Related
Points to remember
• There are two types of phones: the advanced,
operating system based Smartphone, and the simpler,
basic functionality feature phone.
• Advanced wireless services are available, and utilized,
by the majority of the US Population.
• Smartphone and mobile Web usage is on the rise.
• Consumers will spend $6.8 billion in mobile app stores
in 2010.
• Mobile Web reaches more people than the largest app
platforms.
• The top 3 US Smartphones by market share are RIM
(BlackBerry), iPhone and Android (in order).
• Texting is the number one activity of mobile users.
• Web browsing and social media access are the two
fastest growing mobile activities.
Points to remember
• 92% of stations surveyed indicated interest in mobile
products (42% ‘very interested’)
• 65% of stations surveyed have or are developing a mobile
strategy
• Many stations devote “shared” employee time to mobile
• “TV Schedules” highest requested mobile product
• Mobile Web products favored slightly by stations
• The majority of stations do not have mobile Web
optimized content nor offer/plan to offer a mobile app
• PBS mobile goals are:
1.) Grow and engage audience
2.) Financial Health
3.) Serve the Stations
4.) Demonstrate innovation.
Points to remember
• Building a mobile strategy requires:
– Establishing clear goals
– Researching your target audience
– Determining a content strategy
• Use metrics to drive decisions about mobile
products.
Points to remember
• There are two main types of mobile products:
Mobile Web and Mobile Apps.
• Timely and dynamic experiences are highly valuable
in the mobile space.
• Your Web site is already accessible via mobile, but is
it optimized for mobile?
• Mobile Apps are installed on devices, have access to
phone's functions, are platform specific and require
more specialized programming skill.
• Mobile Web reaches a wider audience, can be
cheaper and easier to maintain, is limited in user
interaction and requires a connection of some kind.
Helpful Resources
• Mobile Access 2010 – Pew Research Center
This recent survey (07/10) provides a large amount of information
regarding mobile phone usage and demographics.
http://www.pewinternet.org/~/media//Files/Reports/2010/PIP_Mobile_Access_2010.pdf
• comScore Press Releases
A large archive of regularly updated mobile usage information
(roughly every 3 months). Also check out the available newsletters,
whitepapers and Webinars.
http://www.comscore.com/Press_Events/Press_Releases
• Tech Blogs, Internet search, Analytics Monitors
Most tech blogs offer sections devoted to mobile products, and a
Web search will yield many helpful links.
Examples:
•Mashable’s Mobile Trends Series: http://mashable.com/tag/mobile-trends-series/
•Distimo Reports: http://www.distimo.com
•Mobile Marketing Watch: http://www.mobilemarketingwatch.com/
Feedback
This deck is intended to help you take advantage of the mobile
space. Please let us know how we can improve it to meet your
needs.
Also, we would like to hear your success stories and lessons
learned so we can share your work with the system and learn
from each other.
Send feedback to: pbsi_stationservices@pbs.org