Let’s not repeat the same mistakes with mobile that we did with social media
Being a participant of Bill Boorman’s radio show yesterday about mobile recruitment made me reflect a little more on mobile in context of the recruitment industry. My biggest worry is that we’ll be repeating the same mistakes that we did and do with social media:
• hyping it as the next best thing
• broadcasting instead of communicating
• seeing it as an add-on promoted by a host of so called mobile experts
Yes, mobile is an incredible and fascinating phenomenon. We’ll continue to see growth beyond belief. I mean, an increase in 12 months by 532% of visits from mobile devices to our website at Jobsite is just staggering. At the same time, it’s only 3.5% of the overall traffic and it’s heavily driven by a joined up and driven marketing campaign.
That’s my first point: mobile needs to be part of the entire mix, it needs to fit into the user journey, it needs to enrich the service to our customers, in our case it needs to follow our overall cause, taking the frustration out of job hunting and make it quicker, easier and more convenient. Have a read of Gary Robinson’s very observant and considered post, on how to integrate mobile into the overall marketing/brand framework.
Yes, as the IAB stats show, already one third of all mobile owners in the UK are using mobile internet browsing on their phone, but that still leaves two thirds that don’t. Only 4% of the entire mobile demographics in the UK are iPhone users. Let’s not forget the other 96%.
And that leads me to my second point: Let’s not just create app after app, but let’s create user centric communication and engagement channels – cover all touch points in the most relevant way for the participants of our network. How do candidates want to communicate with us? At what stage? I agree with Stephen O’Donnell, it will be most likely be after the application process – several recruiters already use SMS with a greater success than email.
In the radio show the conversation, as with all new apps, moved quickly on to technology, but technology is only an app in itself and an app for apps sake is not going to help anybody now, isn’t it?
Yes, the precision of the data that we’ll be able to collect (which reminds me to switch off my location service) will be incredibly powerful. Much more powerful (or scarier – depending on where you stand), then anything we’ve seen at TruSource.
Here’s my third point: Let’s collect data, let’s increase our knowledge, but let’s only use it for the benefit of our brand’s citizens. And remember: nobody owns the individual. The individual owns himself/herself. The citizens will decide who stays & who goes.
The next big debate will be about privacy and will result in an even bigger power shift towards the candidate. Any brand that is loose with their usage of knowledge and attitude to data will get punished by the individual. Trust will become the highest currency (use your real name on Twitter!), anonymous CVs/resumes will become the norm and multiple identities for fleeting transactions a possibility.
So, instead of so-called mobile experts following the social media experts (will it be the same experts that just jump onto the next emerging trend?), I’d like to see some ethics experts mixing it up with privacy experts, technology experts and business experts to draw up a manifesto on the ethical use of data that goes beyond sheer profit orientation and retaining the status quo.
Here is the audio for Bill Boorman’s Mobile Recruiting radio show, on which I was guest:
photo credit: jonathanb1989
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Twitter: mickrigby
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Tasty food for thought Felix. Mobile is the engagement tool that marketers and advertisers have been wanting, wishing and waiting for years. However It needs to be used wisely … and only then it’ll work for you. Your point regarding trust is absolutely valid, the mobile is the most personal position people own, they tell it their closest secrets, carry out illicit affairs using it and it is always by their side. Don’t mess with it or it’ll mess with you.
Twitter: FelixWetzel
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You are so right, Mick. Finally we have a tool that allows us to practise Pepper & Rogers 1 to 1 marketing so much more easily and effectively – for the individual. Do you have any case studies on how people have used mobile in a trusted way or the opposite?
Twitter: alanwhitford
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A thoughtful piece, as usual. I also thought that your final comment, before you had to leave the show, regarding future concerns about privacy of data strikes a more terrifying chord for the candidate. Yes, turn off that location service. I am going to feature your post on RCEuro.com, along with Dave Martin’s video blog from yesterday, to help continue the debate.
Cheers
Al
Twitter: FelixWetzel
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Thank you, Al.
BTW, here’s the link to the 2nd part of Dave Martin’s video blog on mobile. Worthwhile watching http://akatopbananas.com/2010/03/23/mobile-recruiting-part-two/
Twitter: Stephenodonn
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Good thoughtful post Felix.
My final thought in the BB Radio Show was “Remember the Candidate”. For all the technological uses that we can dream up for mobile, it is vital that we never lose sight of what the candidate wants, and will actually engage with. I suspect, because we are all so familiar with mobile phones already, that the take-up in this sector will be speedy, but there will be some key issues along the way. Those issues will include privacy, as you pointed out, not just over someone’s CV, but their location, and searching habits etc. Candidates may also find themselves giving away too much of their privacy, just because they are using a personal device. We cannot simply present them with a long page of terms and conditions, in tiny text, and expect them to give informed consent regarding their data.
Whilst there are phenomenal possibilities in the mobile space, I’d counsel all recruiters to tread warily.
Twitter: FelixWetzel
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Stephen, thanks for the comment. Your point is absolutely bang on, especially in regards of “long pages of terms and conditions, in tiny text…”. We’ll need an ethical approach. I wonder if there will be a shift of balance, from the openess we see at the moment, to more anonymity, with recruiters and job opportunities being selected by the candidates. And candidates only releasing contact info when they are happy and convinced that it is genuine and worthwhile.
Twitter: Topbananas
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Great post Felix.
I strongly agree with you along Hype and Communication.
I have been working in the mobile space for a great length of time, I was involved with the BT o2 3G test roll out in the Isle Of Man quite a few year ago. Since then, playing Doom on a laptop in a field in a Range Rover, I have fully understood that Mobile Internet was going to be BIG. The difficulties that Mobile Internet has suffered are not complex, mainly poor expectation management i.e HYPE. It has taken a great deal of advancements (not always tech but also behavior and user interface) to reach a state where the devices are actually usable. Long gone are the days of WAP and networks putting up barriers to the entire web. (sounds like early wired web).
Previously I have worked with various application developers for various mobile solutions, but the devices were too different, the cost was high and the experience poor. This is why Apple and the iPhone are so influential. They made it work. On Mobile Windows users have been able to download apps for ages and on Palm Pilots. The difficulty was a lack of marketing, difficult payment methods, awkward install processes and frequent dis-satisfaction. Apple has made it main stream – worringly my 5 year old can use an iPhone perfectly.
AppStore IS a marketing channel. Users browse and search AppStore regularly.
Whilst I agree that Apps / Mobile sites should communicate not broadcast with users, I have to disagree with your thoughts around “Lets not create App after app”. (not only because we sell app after app).
Every job board should be exposing themselves to the audience searching for jobs in AppStore. They should not miss out. We are determined to support job boards attract mobile users and increase the choice for mobile jobseekers.
However – I do agree that the features and engagement of the app / site should develop and move forwards, we are working on new features to do exactly that.
Increased jobboard integration or communication requires more advanced system integration. So I believe what we are seeing today is 1st round. The 1st wave. The starting point. This time next year we will be offering job boards many wonderful engagement features and creative communication advancements. But as with all new technology it will take waves. Peoples buy in is always slower than speed of tech!
Some will jump on the first wave and improve the service over time as future waves of uptake hit the industry. Others will jump on with an advanced solution when the entire space is highly mature. Others will be forced to join eventually – and they will do the minimal possible as a company tick box. This cycle is human nature.
It is a very exciting space. It is the start of a range of developments and advancements surrounding both brand, communication and technology. As long as Stephens point rings true “Remember the Candidate” and yours “Communicate don’t broadcast” this will be wonderful space to work in over the next 3 to 5 years.
(sorry for the huge comment again, I just can not help it on this topic)
Twitter: FelixWetzel
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Dave,
you are a fountain of knowledge when it comes to mobile. It’s phenomenal.
You are right, this is the first wave and everybody jumps onto the app store, like everybody needed a website with flash, even though it was completely user unfriendly. Once we start including mobile into our overall strategy and the overall user journey, we will see the real impact. But you are right, it’s a wonderful place to work in.
Felix
Twitter: mickrigby
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Good point re waves, Dave. we always try to put in place a mobile buisness road map for up to 3years to take into account technology advansment steps and consumer confidence/engagement volumes. these roadmaps have milestones where reviews, updates or new developements take place. It alows everyone involved to be part of the journey and everyine knows where its going.
My brains a-whirl with ideas, thanks Felix. From H2 we’ll begin to see another big shift as smartphones/web phones begin to really compete and come down in price. It won’t be long before the mobile really is just a pocket pc.
)
Dave is so right about app stores being a marketing channel but there are so many apps why should the customer download yours?
As a pocket pc remember the more traditional software applications we know and love like email, IM, RSS and all the others. The most used mobile apps are those already pre-loaded on a phone and operators pay a lot to get good apps on there. The majority of customers prefer not to download apps still, though this is beginning to change, slowly. By all means build an app but there are other ways too…
Which brings your point into focus – what are the benefits? the customer journey? What experience do they want? And at what price in terms of cost or privacy? How do we tell customers about it? These are the challenges all good buisnesses must face. Those who expose all the elements and get the mix right will truly fly – which is why I love being a marketeer
Twitter: FelixWetzel
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Hi Emma, your observation about “most used mobile apps are those already pre-loaded on a phone…” is very cool and so often overlooked in the whole discussion about apps. It is a real reminder to all of us to focus on the essentials and understand the user behaviours.
What is your take on privacy with mobile?
Felix
Twitter: Topbananas
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Emma,
I remember o2 launching the iMode “wall gardened” web app / m site service on the smartphone. It was an attempt to monitise your very valid point about pre-loaded apps. (btw – it failed)
I agree with you that apps are not the only focus. And being an OEM install is powerful.
But I feel this is changing rapidly. It is still the case for win mob with specially with customised ui like on htc, it is still very true on symbian and RIM.
However the platform driving 2/3 of mobile traffic (iPhone) is very different!! There are ample stats showing users are serial app buyers. Even the same app utility (eg trying 3 different Twitter clients). The pre-installed apps are very different to say the latest htc or motorola phone- no pre-installed facebook app or Twitter or RSS reader!
Great point, it should be on strategy docs of big companies, but it does not work for iPhone.
Twitter: DarrenSher
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Hi Felix, I have found this blogg and its responses so interesting that it inspired me to write my first blogg: “Does your online business really need an iPhone App?”
I don’t see online business app’s being the future, not in the form of the App Store anyway. I see the future being sites and ‘virtual’ applications that are open to all mobile devices. I think the sheer ‘coolness’ of an iPhone App has pushed online businesses into rushing out applications. This urgent need for an iPhone App has stolen the focus from offering a service that can be used by the entire mobile market. Surely time would have been better spent building a truly mobile site which is supported by pretty much all devices?
You can see my first Blogg here:
http://pixelponder.com/does-your-online-business-really-need-an-ipho
Twitter: FelixWetzel
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Hi Darren,
I agree with your assessment and your vision of the future. It’s about openess and mash ups instead of walled garden.
I read your blog and can only recommend it to anybody interested in mobile.
Felix