The Cutting Edge of Marketing
"Mobile marketing is poised to become the most powerful marketing medium in the world"
- Marketing Web June 2007
"The future of mobile marketing will undoubtedly be bright ... The third screen is becoming an
increasingly important part of our lives and understanding how to target and exploit it will be a vital part of
tomorrow’s marketing mix."
- Paul Griffiths, July 2007
There is no doubt that advertising via mobile phones is an exciting, explosive new
arena in the world of marketing.
The technology of TeXBoX opens up opportunities
that are completely unique.
Read on to learn all about advertising on TeXBoX, or simply Get
Started, and learn along the way!
TeXBoX Technology
TeXBoX is a unique software protocol that extends the functionality of SMS
TeXBoX uses the built-in
data transfer capabilities
of modern mobile phones (all
phones manufactured after 2001 are capable) to enable TeXBoX users
to send SMS's anywhere in the world for FREE. Further to this SMS capability, each
SMS contains a link that enables users to engage in an Instant Messaging style text
conversation. After disconnecting from the IM chat any new messages they miss are delivered
to them by SMS. The functionality and usefulness of TeXBoX is impressive. It is
best understood as a seamless integration between standard SMS and Instant Messaging
/ Online Chatroom. Take a look around the TeXBoX site to understand this better,
and best of all give it a try (it's FREE after all!) TeXBoX requires no software, no downloads and no special membership, meaning that it is accessible
to everyone with a mobile phone not older than 5 years.
Advertising on TeXBoX
TeXBoX advertising is simple to setup, monitor and maintain. And best of all, it's
cheap!
A TeXBoX advertising campaign consists of two advertising opportunities:
- Advertising on SMS: TeXBoX uses the empty
space of every SMS sent through the system to attach an advertisement. You will
create several different length text messages which will be attached as appropriate,
depending on how much space is available on each message. Internet Links can also
be attached - which will link the user either to a mobile-enabled page of
your own, or to a page that TeXBoX will set up for you.
- Advertising in
the TeXBoX Session: A TeXBoX "session" is the instant messaging conversation
that the SMS's link to. Advertising in a TeXBoX session allows for a much greater
number of characters: we impose a limit of 150 characters simply because research
has revealed that messages longer than that don't get read by our users! And advertising
in a session allows for the inclusion of images. Small banners and other images
can be included in the TeXBoX session which make the advertising particularly
eye-catching. And of course internet links can also be included in a session ad
- which will link the user either to a mobile-enabled page of your own, or to a
page that TeXBoX will set up for you.
Exclusivity: TeXBoX
assigns only one advertiser to each TeXBoX conversation. This means
that TeXBoX users will never be presented with your competitor's
ads in proximity to your own (unlike an internet system such as Google Adwords).
As soon as an ad of yours has been attached to an
SMS, all future SMS's in that
conversation, and the TeXBoX session itself will be
branded with your advertising. The users will be aware that their free communication
is "sponsored" by you. This enhances the brand association that TeXBoX users have
with your brand.
How much does it cost to advertise on TeXBoX?
TeXBoX advertising is paid for on a credit basis.
TeXBoX credits are charged for:
- Each SMS with your advert attached: An
SMS sent to a mobile phone in South Africa costs 1 credit. Sending SMS's to other
countries can cost more than one credit - for the full list, take a look at the
list of countries to which TeXBoX sends SMS's. Note that you specify (for each of
your campaigns) to which countries you want to advertise.
- Each login to
TeXBoX Session displaying your ad: A single credit is charged for each
login to a TeXBoX session.
TeXBoX credits range in price, depending on how many you buy, and whether you buy
the credits in advance or pay for your advertising in arrears.
The range of price is from 33 SA cents per credit , up to 50 SA cents per credit.
What is Unique about TeXBoX?
TeXBoX differs greatly from other mobile advertising opportunities
Other mobile advertising opportunities can be divided into two "classes" of advertising:
- SMS's sent to a mailing list of
people who have indicated
they are willing to receive "promotional material". This advertising is limited
(fairly obviously) to an existing subscriber base - there is no way of taking advantage
of the huge numbers of mobile users, because it is illegal to send
spam SMS's (sending an advertisement SMS to someone who hasn't indicated that they
are interested in receiving it). And so you're stuck with an existing subscriber
base. The great advantage of mobile - the viral network aspects of the mobile world
are beyond the reach of this type of advertising.
- Or advertising messages attached to "subscription
SMS's",
such as stock quotes, news items, weather reports, etc. Again, this process relies
on a subscriber base, and takes no advantage of the mobile world's greatest feature
- that it is a "viral network"
TeXBoX however enables advertising via SMS to the world! Legally!
Not just advertising
to a limited subscriber base - TeXBoX takes advantage of the "viral network" features
of the mobile world, and will deliver your advertisements to a constantly growing
social network of people.
How does TeXBoX do this? By attaching your advertisement to a TeXBoX user's personal
SMS, in return for which they get to send the SMS for free! You benefit by advertising
your product or service around the world (although you can limit your advertisements
to a specific country), and they benefit by being able to send a free SMS.
You have nothing to lose! Sign up now, and join the revolution: become a mobile
marketer!
Want to know more? Read the
TeXBoX Advertiser's Help pages.