Comments on: User Generated Short Codes http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2006/08/23/user-generated-short-codes/ Russell Buckley and Carlo Longino on mobile technology. Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:12:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Mike Rowehl: This is Mobility » Blog Archive » Free SMS Voting with TextMarks http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2006/08/23/user-generated-short-codes/#comment-31993 Mike Rowehl: This is Mobility » Blog Archive » Free SMS Voting with TextMarks Sun, 24 Sep 2006 08:30:46 +0000 http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2006/08/23/user-generated-short-codes/#comment-31993 [...] When I mention TextMarks to people and say something like “so you can build applications that communicate via SMS”, to which the general response seems to be “why would you want to do that?” And I normally use the bookmarking example that Russell gave, or a group messaging example. But today while I was in the car I heard the Live105 folks encouraging people to text in their votes for different styles of music in a head to head faceoff. Looks like punk won, cool. Perfect example I thought. Doing a promotion also, something like “the 30th person to text in gets to punch me!” [...] [...] When I mention TextMarks to people and say something like “so you can build applications that communicate via SMS”, to which the general response seems to be “why would you want to do that?” And I normally use the bookmarking example that Russell gave, or a group messaging example. But today while I was in the car I heard the Live105 folks encouraging people to text in their votes for different styles of music in a head to head faceoff. Looks like punk won, cool. Perfect example I thought. Doing a promotion also, something like “the 30th person to text in gets to punch me!” [...]

]]> By: Mike Rowehl: This is Mobility » Blog Archive » Enabling Mobile Communities http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2006/08/23/user-generated-short-codes/#comment-31872 Mike Rowehl: This is Mobility » Blog Archive » Enabling Mobile Communities Sat, 23 Sep 2006 18:24:17 +0000 http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2006/08/23/user-generated-short-codes/#comment-31872 [...] Russell had already written up TextMarks so I was familiar with the service. I went to the TextMarks website and created an AdMob shortcode to return the total number of ad views so far. In some senses it’s a lot like 411Sync, but with a much lower barrier to experimentation. And of course having the 41411 shortcode is pretty sweet. It really makes the usage that Russell talks about of linking through a shortcode effective (much like Mozes does with their shortcodes). [...] [...] Russell had already written up TextMarks so I was familiar with the service. I went to the TextMarks website and created an AdMob shortcode to return the total number of ad views so far. In some senses it’s a lot like 411Sync, but with a much lower barrier to experimentation. And of course having the 41411 shortcode is pretty sweet. It really makes the usage that Russell talks about of linking through a shortcode effective (much like Mozes does with their shortcodes). [...]

]]> By: Mark Smithivas http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2006/08/23/user-generated-short-codes/#comment-26572 Mark Smithivas Wed, 30 Aug 2006 02:51:32 +0000 http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2006/08/23/user-generated-short-codes/#comment-26572 Regardless of whatever "niche" is targeted by each service, I agree with previous commenters that the revenue model still seems risky. Unless you can convince consumers to pay fees to support the service, ultimately, large media advertisers will have to be sold on using these services in innovative ways. By innovative, I don't mean by serving up outgoing SMS ads. I just used Mozes for an experimental project that might point to what those ways might be. Regardless of whatever “niche” is targeted by each service, I agree with previous commenters that the revenue model still seems risky. Unless you can convince consumers to pay fees to support the service, ultimately, large media advertisers will have to be sold on using these services in innovative ways. By innovative, I don’t mean by serving up outgoing SMS ads. I just used Mozes for an experimental project that might point to what those ways might be.

]]> By: Jonathan http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2006/08/23/user-generated-short-codes/#comment-26485 Jonathan Tue, 29 Aug 2006 15:28:31 +0000 http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2006/08/23/user-generated-short-codes/#comment-26485 I don't see the revenue model here to drive a positive cash flow. But I agree that that was not a barrier for ICQ, Myspace, and Skype. Ultimately these businesses were bought for their sizable customer bases. If a free keyword provider can get quickly to 5 million users, then why not them too. Or is that number different. As Chris points out above, that will take a lot of cash. Let's say 5 million users * 100 messages per @ $0.02 per message, that's $10 million. All hypothetical numbers could get hypothetical valuation of $100 million. Sound plausible? I don’t see the revenue model here to drive a positive cash flow. But I agree that that was not a barrier for ICQ, Myspace, and Skype. Ultimately these businesses were bought for their sizable customer bases. If a free keyword provider can get quickly to 5 million users, then why not them too. Or is that number different.
As Chris points out above, that will take a lot of cash. Let’s say 5 million users * 100 messages per @ $0.02 per message, that’s $10 million. All hypothetical numbers could get hypothetical valuation of $100 million. Sound plausible?

]]> By: craig lefebvre http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2006/08/23/user-generated-short-codes/#comment-26483 craig lefebvre Tue, 29 Aug 2006 15:11:33 +0000 http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2006/08/23/user-generated-short-codes/#comment-26483 i'm a new comer to this area and maybe that means the 'early majority' is beginning to pay attention to these technologies. Lots of ideas on how to use something like textmarks: let's begin with groups who want to coordinate volunteer activities, support messages and information for people trying to change behaviors like diet and exercise emergency contact points for a family. i’m a new comer to this area and maybe that means the ‘early majority’ is beginning to pay attention to these technologies. Lots of ideas on how to use something like textmarks: let’s begin with groups who want to coordinate volunteer activities, support messages and information for people trying to change behaviors like diet and exercise emergency contact points for a family.

]]> By: Carlo http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2006/08/23/user-generated-short-codes/#comment-26343 Carlo Mon, 28 Aug 2006 21:25:31 +0000 http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2006/08/23/user-generated-short-codes/#comment-26343 This is quite different from what Upoc tried, Jonathan. Upoc's focus has been something slightly nebulous having to do with "mobile communities", which generally seemed like SMS versions of email lists or Yahoo groups. This is quite different from what Upoc tried, Jonathan. Upoc’s focus has been something slightly nebulous having to do with “mobile communities”, which generally seemed like SMS versions of email lists or Yahoo groups.

]]> By: Russell Buckley http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2006/08/23/user-generated-short-codes/#comment-26339 Russell Buckley Mon, 28 Aug 2006 21:01:05 +0000 http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2006/08/23/user-generated-short-codes/#comment-26339 Jonathan - could be. But success is c 80% timing in my view. It's not about if anyone has done something before, but about is the timing for this idea right? In fact, give me a mediocre idea and a half-assed team with the right timing over a brilliant team, great idea and the wrong timing any day. Russell Jonathan - could be. But success is c 80% timing in my view.

It’s not about if anyone has done something before, but about is the timing for this idea right? In fact, give me a mediocre idea and a half-assed team with the right timing over a brilliant team, great idea and the wrong timing any day.

Russell

]]> By: jonathan http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2006/08/23/user-generated-short-codes/#comment-26336 jonathan Mon, 28 Aug 2006 20:34:21 +0000 http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2006/08/23/user-generated-short-codes/#comment-26336 Was this not the same play that upoc tried in 1999? total investement $27million, couple million registerd users, and then finally sold to dada for grand total of $7 million. Was this not the same play that upoc tried in 1999? total investement $27million, couple million registerd users, and then finally sold to dada for grand total of $7 million.

]]> By: Russell Buckley http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2006/08/23/user-generated-short-codes/#comment-26332 Russell Buckley Mon, 28 Aug 2006 19:49:18 +0000 http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2006/08/23/user-generated-short-codes/#comment-26332 Jonathan - or 2006. Don't forget Skype, Google and MySpace, for completely different reasons all give their core services away free. It can be done :-) Russell Jonathan - or 2006. Don’t forget Skype, Google and MySpace, for completely different reasons all give their core services away free.

It can be done :-)

Russell

]]> By: Jonathan http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2006/08/23/user-generated-short-codes/#comment-26331 Jonathan Mon, 28 Aug 2006 19:45:42 +0000 http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2006/08/23/user-generated-short-codes/#comment-26331 What's the business model. Sure sounds nice someone giving away services. But is this 1999 all over again? What’s the business model. Sure sounds nice someone giving away services. But is this 1999 all over again?

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