Promoting Your Mobile Web Site

So you have a Mobile Website and maybe an App with Adva Mobile and now you're wondering "What's Next?" Here are some easy steps that will help you get traction to your  mobile site:

1. At the shows - Tell your fans. There are two good opportunities to tell your fans about your mobile site:

• If you've put a song up on your site for fans to download, after you play it, you can Shout Out "Hey, if you like that song, you can get it for free. Take out your phone and text GET(bandname) to 88704."
• When you're telling your fans they can get your music at the merch table, also tell them to stay connected on mobile by texting in. If you have an App, you can tell them to download your App also.

2. On social media sites: Don’t be afraid to use social networks to feature your mobile site in a post or two. Here you are targeting the news of your mobile site to existing followers who have already expressed interest in you, so they will be more inclined to join your mobile site or download your App.

3. On the homepage of your website: If you have a band website, it's one of the first places that interested fans go to learn about you. By telling fans to text in on your homepage, you will be taking advantage of this targeted audience. On Midnight Mirage's website, there's a call to action at the bottom of the pages.

4. In your blog: While the most popular social media sites like Facebook and Twitter have character limitations, your blog is one place to really talk about all the great features your fans can get on your mobile site and Apps. It’s your chance to present users with a compelling case on why they need to join your mobile site or download your App.

5. On traditional advertising: You hand out download cards and make posters that promote your shows. It makes sense to market your mobile site and App through online channels, but it's also a good idea to market your site on your physical promotions. For example, you could include text like “Text GET(bandname) to 88704 to connect with us on mobile" or "Download a free song when you text GET(bandname) to 88704".

Another idea is to include a QR code or Microsoft Tag that, when scanned, automatically brings the user to your mobile site. Reggae site Vital Vibes uses a Microsoft Tag code on their website home page that brings fans to their mobile site (see below for example).

6. Through Fan Engagement on your mobile site and App: Word-of-mouth is one of the most powerful marketing tools that doesn’t cost anything. One way to do this is by hosting buzz-worthy giveaways or contests on your mobile site. Uploading great content and exclusives on your site is another way.

Mobile is here and you've taken the first steps to connect with your fans on their mobile phones. Next, it’s a good idea to have a marketing plan ready for your new mobile site and App. Follow these quick, inexpensive tips to make your mobile launch an even bigger success.



Hitting on 1,400

I love announcing milestones. We now have over 1,400 Artists using our service as of this week. Amazing since we do so little promotion. When our new portal launches in a few weks, we'll undertake a larger marketing effort. For now, it's all word of mouth from our existing Artists, and people who find us through search.

Some of the recent Artists that have joined are bigger names:

• Ariana Grande created the role of Cat Valentine in the American sitcom Victorious, which is still running on the Nickelodeon channel. Universal just signed her and we'll help her use mobile with her music launch
• Santa Leja is a British Electro-Pop Songstress playing out of Miami. You've probably heard her hit Let The Beat Don't Stop 
• Lauren Light’s style is like a mixture of Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson and Fiona Apple all stirred together.
• Jon Wolfe, country star from Austin, has a new single out I Don't Dance

Many more, of course, as more and more Artists discover that mobile is the best way for them to connect with their fans.

Texting In is Checking In

Are your fans Checking In? If they are using Foursquare, they are telling their fans where they are. Same with Facebook. So it's all about location. Where they are - physically.

What about mentally? That's where Texting In lives. When your fans Text In to your mobile presence, they are telling you where they are - mentally. They are connecting with you.

Sometimes they'll do that on their own, and sometimes you have to prompt them. With a text blast, for example. Or, run a contest. Tell everyone that the person that has the most page views on your mobile site on a particular day is your "Mayor" of the day. Acknowledge them on your blog and Facebook page. Send them a discount to buy a T-Shirt.

The Adva Mobile reports engine helps make this kind of contest simple:

Use mobile to be innovative and connect with your fans with thse simple fan engagement campaigns.

More than Stars in the Sky

Last year, over 4 trillion SMS text messages were sent.

There are 4 billion stars in the unverse.

So the next time you're wondering if SMS text messaging is a marketing tool that you should be using, look up to the sky. It's clear that SMS marketing works, and your fans are comfortable - excited, really - to get a text from you.

And, when the text leads them to a rich experience, so much better!

Forbes Article that gets it

http://www.forbes.com/sites/marketshare/2011/11/29/music-to-our-ears/

If listening to music these days seems a bit different than it did during the days of radio disc jockeys, that’s because it is. What’s different? The user is now in charge. The transition from CDs to digital files coupled with the rise of social networking has transformed the music business from a push economy to a user-curated, pull economy.


This is a fundamental change.

The rest of this excellent article can be read at the link. Power to the People!

Adva Mobile Crowdfunding - The Last Week

Here is the first screenshot we took when the Adva Mobile Crowdfunding Campaign began, and here's one today. We started this 31 days ago and in that time 34 people (and counting!) have donated almost $5,000 - incredible! It's been a wonderful experience seeing our friends, family and business colleagues so thoughtful, helpful and interested in the success of Adva Mobile. Of course, thanks so much to everyone who contributed, and those of you who wanted to but couldn't.

There are four days left, so it's a big push this week to make our goal. We're at http://www.indiegogo.com/The-Adva-Mobile-Campaign so if you're inclined to help out, great! Every contribution helps.

We'll write more about he experience as we wrap up the Campaign, but overall, it's encouraging to see that Crowdfunding can be a financing tool for commercial enterprises such as Adva Mobile. The use of Crowdfunding for creative endeavors is well documented, so it was an experiment to see if it could be used to help small businesses. Really glad to see that it can.

New Perk for Bands Added to our Crowdfunding Campaign - Android App

We added another perk today for bands - an awesome deal to have an Android App and Mobile Web. With Android now running 50 percent of the smartphone market (iPhone only 10%) they'll have a great App, mobile web for non-smartphones, and a marketing platform to acquire, engage, and monetize your fans. Only $200 for 2 years, and only until the end of the crowdfunding campaign.