India boasts of over 370 million mobile users and it is expected to double in the next three Almost 30 million of these users access mobile Internet – being the largest in Asia. With almost every third person in India being mobile now, mobile applications come out to be as the next big thing.

Considering the stats, with the mobile apps, there lies a huge potential for the marketers to reach their audiences in a direct and personalised way. In the future, the medium of mobile would be the most effective if used in a more targeted and contextual way.

In India, over a hundred mobile value added services (MVAS) and technology companies are working to bring more innovative apps on mobile and introduce the  concept of mobile advertising.

While push and pull SMS are seeing saturation, companies are looking for more innovative mobile marketing alternatives. This is where mobile applications steal the show. We have many mobile app developers emphasising on mobile marketing and advertising. These are apps that provide localised information and promote brands through games and lifestyle apps. Mobiesta among the pioneers in mobile advertising in India, serves as a mobile application that empowers people to make a relevant choice in this world full of advertisements across all prevalent their customers directly and in the most economical manner. The app satisfies the need of the target users by serving information on nine exciting categories of shopping, food, musical, multiplexes, malls and much more. Mobiesta gives an opportunity for screen specific advertising, helping abrand to better target its audience.

India, has 400 million mobile subscribers and the figures are growing with every passing day. This development has interestingly encouraged several FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) companies, banks, magazines and TV stations, media companies in the country to widen their promotions to the mobile phone platform. No other medium has this reach. It (mobile) being a personal device, a basic form of advertising through a mobile application can be effective if used in a more targeted and contextual way.

The objective of the mobile developers across India at the moment is to create the acceptability of mobile as a new medium for marketing in India which is still at a very infant stage. The mobile subscribers are taking over the internet users with a great pace and the future lies in mobile technology.

Where the whole telecom industry is banking on MVAS and mobile marketing, Mobiesta is a lifestyle application that has come out in the market recently and is moving in the set course already. Almost every telecom player is focusing on the daily needs of infotainment for the subscribers. Mobiesta comes with a breakthrough by providing a platform to disseminate localised information through GPRS connectivity on mobile handsets for the first time ever in India. Mobiesta a mobile advertising application has a first movers advantage with its Mobile App that provides information in nine categories.

After a successful response in Delhi, it is now in the pockets of Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune and Hyderabad and in the later phase of development would gradually expand to smaller cities. Mobiesta has been launched with a new advanced version in these cities including Delhi.

The application industry in India follows a skimming strategy. It takes on from very tech savvy users who are early adopters and spreads through word of mouth. To make the app available to the users Mobiesta has put its app on all the virtual app stores namely Getjar, Android Market, Blackberry app World and iPhone. As per the trends, the metros have a major usership of the smartphones. The marketing plans of the developers need to revolve around branding and distribution. A mix of social media marketing and co-branding should be ideal.

Though there are many companies that offer VAS to the mobile users, but what differentiates Mobiesta is unlike the mobile WAP sites, Mobiesta provides comprehensive and up to date information with event descriptions, venue, timing, and contact numbers while providing instant access to information at any time or place. With Mobiesta a user gets information ranges in 9 categories and 35 sub–categories on a single platform with the simplest user interface. Unlike the push SMS the information acts as a pull marketing strategy for a user. The user selects the information he is interested in therefore higher probability for the advertiser to earn revenues.

The prospects of mobile marketing through mobile applications is huge in India. Yet, it might take some time to take it off in a splendid manner.