Africa's mobile economy is unique, with telecom network infrastructure and mobile devices being the main engines for digital growth. In its 2016 Mobile Economy report, the GSMA recognised the key role mobile is playing in socio-economic development across the continent — including the increased reach and accessibility of educational, utility and other public sector services. There's no doubt about it - smartphone penetration here is unstoppable.
With African consumers spending more time on their mobile than ever, the opportunity for companies to communicate with their customers via these devices is clear. Mobile content services can provide major advantages, especially given that African mobile users are watching more video on their mobile than on their televisions. As a result, mobile operators and over-the-top (OTT) players are fast realising the value of generating mobile content and are vying for market share in an increasingly competitive space.
In the European market, many mobile operators have been relegated to acting as pipelines for service delivery. If they want to deliver credible content services, they have to partner with well-established providers and brands. But because Africa's content value chain is still in flux, the mobile content leadership battle here is only just beginning. So with mobile operators and OTT players competing for the top spot, what will it take to be the ultimate winner? With such an abundance of content on offer, mobile operators have to think carefully about choosing what to deliver. If they get this wrong, they risk losing consumer engagement and a loyal audience base. Understanding what African consumers want is therefore critical.
Home-grown content
One thing consumers have shown a particular interest in is home-grown content. If mobile operators are able to offer content specific to local appetites, alongside international content, they stand a better chance at appealing to local consumers and securing service popularity. Furthermore, as a mobile-first market, there is an insatiable appetite for new genres of digital services in categories such as health, education and governance – many of which can have transformational socio-economic impact. Mobile operators need to find new ways of delivering quality content in these areas.
African consumers' expectations are now higher than ever before, especially when it comes to the digital services they consume. Smartphone users today expect highly engaging mobile content services. They want to stream video, read books or shop online, and network and device capabilities need to be able to facilitate this. A slow connection and buffering problems just won't do.
These capabilities therefore need to be augmented to enable the best user experience across the entire customer lifecycle - from discovery and trial through to service consumption and advocacy. As competition intensifies and data becomes a cheaper commodity, Africa's mobile operators need to explore and create flexible models of monetisation to grow their revenue streams. One way they can do this is by integrating sponsored content and advertising into their services. That way, they are providing consumers with content, as well as giving publishers and other businesses the opportunity to build and engage with an audience base.
Alongside a stronger monetisation model, mobile operators should also offer flexible payment methods, including mobile money and credit card payments, to ensure all potential customers have access to services. With Africa's content value chain still in flux, it is important that Africa's mobile operators continue to utilise technology partners that can adapt to changing market and business conditions. Choosing the right partner is therefore vital. As the number of devices in Africa continues to soar, consumer expectations are only going to increase.
Mobile operators need to meet their demands by optimising content for a wide range of devices and embracing the latest smartphone capabilities to deliver engaging and personalised service experience. It is those mobile operators and OTT players who choose the right partners and content that will ultimately reign supreme in Africa's mobile content battle.
IT WEBAFRICA