SMS proves successful in Reaching Consumer Niche Markets.

With more than 230 million mobile phone subscribers in the U.S., many companies are finding success using SMS as a key vehicle in reaching specific target audiences to increase subscriptions and gain revenue. According to mBlox, the world’s largest mobile transaction network, SMS is increasingly being used to deliver messages and content to a variety of booming mobile niche market segments.

More companies are emerging to focus on groups whose needs are not being addressed by mainstream mobile content providers. Many companies are now looking beyond the standard age demographic and are seeking profitable opportunities by targeting specific niche groups via SMS messaging services. Linda Barrabee, program manager with The Yankee Group, comments, “With the SMS ecosystem continuing to grow and gain further acceptance in the U.S., we will continue to see innovation in the mobile content market.” Three examples of successful niche content providers, Telemundo, Ringspirations, and Chikka, are using mBlox’s mobile transaction network for message and content delivery and billing.

Telemundo a la Mano Wireless, in conjunction with mBlox, provides local news, sports, entertainment, and other content for mobile phone subscribers. Telemundo provides unique national and local programming for the Hispanic market in the U.S.

“Mobile devices are a primary form of communication for much of the Hispanic community which can now receive Spanish language content on their mobile phone,” says Enrique Perez, senior vice president of sales, Telemundo Station Group. “By delivering relevant news and information in Spanish, we play a major role in this community because there are so few media outlets for our audience. SMS is an ideal way for us to extend the reach of our brand because of the ubiquity of the mobile phone and its effectiveness as a channel of communication.”

“As the number of mobile phones in the world approaches 3 billion, far surpassing PC connectivity, more companies are recognizing the enormous opportunity that lies in mobile communications,” said Steve Livingston, chief marketing officer at mBlox. “Mobile transactions, such as SMS and PSMS, are the fabric of the mobile business, and allow niche players to drive new and improved forms of marketing, communications and revenue streams.”