Council Post: The Power And Potential Of 5G For Marketing And Communications Pros
As mobile operators fight about who is falsely advertising 5G, it begs the question of whether consumers even care. In a world where hype is rampant and fake news is so prevalent it actually wins out over fact, it’s easy for mobile users to ho-hum the promises of yet another technological revolution. This means marketers must think carefully about how best to present 5G-enabled capabilities to users to convey their highest value.
This 5G technology is far more than hype, and those who oversell its promises or sell them too early are missing a fundamental opportunity to differentiate. The power 5G will bring — far more advanced than 4G or 3G that came before it — is the ability to personalize in an entirely new way. Imagine turning your mobile device from a static, one-dimensional source for information and communication into a dynamic tool that delivers interactive, immersive and even life-changing experiences.
During a recent customer event within my company, which works with telecom companies all over the world, we polled mobile operators and found nearly half considered 5G a “quantum shift in mobility.” This quantum shift won’t just be for the operators themselves. When 5G is fully realized, I believe we’ll all look back and see the monumental change that has taken place.
As a marketer or a communications professional, here are just a few ways your work might evolve.
Health Care Anywhere
When health care is more personalized to the individual and a provider can get direct input into a patient’s well-being, even when they are not in the doctor’s office, treatment improves. This will be enabled through connected devices, such as wearables, that deliver necessary data to make remote health assessments, while 5G networks will help doctors make decisions in real time. With the rise of sensors in internet of things (IoT) devices, patients in remote or rural areas can be quickly assessed, streamlining travel to health care facilities and, in some cases, even preventing it.
Now is the time for health care marketers to build targeted funnels for data and examine where silos might exist within the organization so that communication is more open and fluid in preparation for the near future when real-time communication is status quo.
Automobile Marketing
The additional bandwidth and lower latency of 5G, coupled with more reliable connectivity, paves the way for vehicles to better engage with occupants (think in-car Alexa or Siri). It also helps a car more easily communicate with other vehicles and IoT devices, such as traffic lights or stop signs, helping to make intelligent decisions on the road.
The automotive sector is widely considered the driving force behind IoT and 5G adoption, and it can be a great first step for marketers taking advantage of 5G. Drivers and passengers alike can be reached in real time, based on location, whether through voice-enabled technology, mobile devices or even holographic display. Imagine suggesting a quick stop for a nearby sale, providing ingredients for dinner or suggesting that weekend’s movie lineup.
Reliable Connections
Most of us have experienced a frustrating moment when we want to make a call, send a text or pull up needed information only to be met with low connectivity and a useless device. To put it in perspective, the very best 4G connections (typically long-term evolution, or LTE) can transmit data at the speed of 100 megabits per second (Mbps). With 5G, speed is improved exponentially. Combined with its bandwidth capabilities, in even the most demanding of situations and despite the number of devices clamoring for the network, consumers will have the access they need to communicate.
For marketers and communications professionals, it means getting your message front and center in the most critical moments. Better quality data, along with the geolocation features afforded by 5G, will enable everything from on-demand, personalized ads to real-time notifications in emergency situations that can push out plans or rescue scenarios as often as they are updated. Even in situations where both incoming and outgoing mobile traffic is high, such as during a natural disaster, 5G will provide enough bandwidth for necessary communications to continue at full speed.
Augmented Experiences
Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) have nearly drowned in their own hype, but 5G is just the life raft necessary to take these exciting technologies mainstream. The use cases are vast, everything from gaming to fitness, but one particular industry poised to benefit the most is retail. Over the next year, 100 million consumers are predicted to use augmented reality to shop.
I believe immersive experience is the future of our online engagement, and 5G will usher in those capabilities in more natural ways. For marketers, virtual reality experiences can replace video — rather than show the customer what’s possible, immerse them in the experience. For example, you can put a customer inside the new home they want to buy, allow them to try on thousands of outfits without stepping inside a dressing room or even let someone share a meal with their favorite celebrity.
Mobile Operators
One of the benefits of 5G is that it allows mobile operators to customize services and experiences based on our individual needs rather than the one-size-fits-all contract. With 5G, operators gain unique control over the network, and that control will be mirrored in the way they offer connectivity, based on where we are, what we want to do and in the moment we are doing it.
The recent hype surrounding 5G is leading some to speculate that operators may miss the advantage of properly marketing 5G to their customers. Now is the time for mobile providers to be authentic and informative when communicating the benefits of 5G. As the undisputed experts and leaders in bringing this reality to market, we have a great opportunity to build loyalty and trust by helping consumers navigate the many changes up ahead.
Get excited! The next few years will be pivotal as 5G begins to change the way we engage with the online world.
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This content was originally published here.
As mobile operators fight about who is falsely advertising 5G, it begs the question of whether consumers even care. In a world where hype is rampant and fake news is so prevalent it actually wins out over fact, it’s easy for mobile users to ho-hum the promises of yet another technological revolution. This means marketers…
As mobile operators fight about who is falsely advertising 5G, it begs the question of whether consumers even care. In a world where hype is rampant and fake news is so prevalent it actually wins out over fact, it’s easy for mobile users to ho-hum the promises of yet another technological revolution. This means marketers…