Microsoft-owned social platform Skype has more than doubled the potential reach for advertisers on its mobile platform by opening up mobile advertising inventory on Android.
Advertisers could already buy inventory across iPhones and Windows 8 devices. Now they can purchase space on Android devices. Microsoft, which owns Skype, reckons there are 100 million mobile users. About 2.5 million of those are based in Australia with around 60% on Android.
Mobile advertising is fast becoming big business. While the last few years have been several false "year of the mobile", growth is accelerating. The latest PwC report put the Australian mobile advertising market at $114 million, up from $8 million in 2008. It is expected to more than double to $244 million by 2017.
Big Mobile partner and group commercial director Graham Christie said the expansion of advertising formats into spaces such as Skype, as distinct from more traditional areas such as editorial sites, represents a significant development for the mobile advertising market.
“Moves like this one from Skype offer marketers a shot in the arm in terms of scale and frequency, because people who use Skype are generally frequent users, they are not just using it once every couple of months."
“The sweet spot for advertisers to exist within these products is yet to be realised. Consumers are in these spaces for a specific reason, and the market still needs to create the right model to integrate into these environments, but we'll start seeing major developments in the next couple of years.
“Media owners need to be careful, they need to be sensitive about integration, especially in areas like Skype where it could be very easy for advertising to be disruptive. But Skype is just starting the journey, and it will be a commercial requirement to find that sweet spot.”
He said that sweet spot was the same in any other medium: Using data to put the right message in front of the right person.
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