Mobile advertisers believe they offer positive experience, users disagree

Ask mobile marketers and mobile operators and most will say they believe the experience they provide consumers is positive. Ask consumers and most will say otherwise.

by Helen Leggatt

According to a new report from mobile platform Unlockd, nearly all mobile advertisers (84%) and mobile operators (82%) think the experience they are giving consumers is positive. Nearly half say that this is because the advertising they provide is relevant to mobile users.

However, less than half (47%) of consumers believe their mobile advertising experience to be positive. In terms of ad relevancy, just 39% believe product ads they see are relevant. Furthermore, other factors leading to consumers' negatively towards their mobile experience were the volume of ads they were exposed to (40%) and that ad formats are annoying (39%).

So, what would make most mobile users more positive about their mobile advertising experience? The research found that half of 16-44 year olds would happily accept mobile ads if, in exchange for viewing them, they were given rewards or incentives. A lower monthly mobile price plan would keep almost two-thirds (64%) of younger users (age 16-29) happy with ads.

"The disconnect between consumer experience and the mobile advertising industry highlights both the opportunity for mobile operators and advertisers to start to live up to the expectations of today's mobile savvy consumers", said Matt Berriman, founder and CEO of Unlockd. "Operators, publishers and advertisers need to work together to ensure consumers are offered value in exchange for receiving ads. Whether that's valuable content relevant to the individual, or value in terms of discounts, deals or offers."