I have just been sent over a list of the top 10 things you need to know about mobile applications, compiled by the IAB (Internet Advertising Bureau). I believe they are spot on and typically what I preach as such I felt the need to share:

1. Only do apps when you need more. Compared to browsing, mobile apps offer a richer level of user interaction allowing more complex graphics, media and information to be presented. They also provide a more robust and secure environment for user engagement. But, if you can deliver what you are trying to achieve through a browser you will be able to reach far more consumers. Jeremy Copp, CEO, Rapid Mobile Media Ltd

2. Tell people about your app. Don’t just rely on app stores, you can distribute apps via mobile sites, operators and through multiple ad placements and formats for maximum impact and reach. Theo Theodorou, EMEA Sales Manager, Mobile Advertising, Microsoft Advertising

3. Think further than the iPhone. The iPhone offers fantastic functionality for developers and users alike, and apps developed for the platform are eminently PR‐able, and are often shared virally. It has a fast growing user base, and reaches relatively wealthy 25‐44 year olds who actively use mobile media very well; but also developing a java version, optimised to work over a wide range of handsets including BlackBerry will give you a far greater potential reach. Mark Angell, Business Development Director, Marvellous

4. Getting the balance right. There are 2 fundamental balances to achieve. Firstly, business objectives vs user needs‐for the application to be effective the business needs must carefully consider the user as well as commercial objectives. Secondly, the three E’s (Engagement, Entertainment and Effectiveness) ‐functional apps often outlast the usage of entertainment based apps. Paul Taylor, Strategist & Planner, COI

5. The average app user. There are 8.7 million people who have used a downloaded app in the UK which is 18% of mobile users. 60% of these users are playing games that they have downloaded. The median age of an apps user is 32 years old and 43% are female. 36% of app users own smartphones compared to 15% of the total market. Alistair Hill, Analyst and Mobile Products, Europe, comScore

6. Brand‐building vs sales. Free applications get the most downloads, where as paid‐for applications generate revenue. Knowing whether you are branding or selling is a key point when launching your first application. Ross Butler, Creative, Parrott and Miller

7. Product longevity is essential. Every service needs a roadmap, no matter how basic. Customers will quickly get bored with a uni‐functional app which has no new features or capability added over time. By adding functionality as time goes on you can create brand advocacy. Christian Harris, CEO, Gorilla Box

8. Send them in the right direction. Ads in existing applications are a great place to advertise, but make sure that the destination site is optimised for mobile. If you don’t then you risk low conversion and a poor perception of your brand. Jonathan Abraham, Brand Sales Director, AdMob

9. Test, Test and Test again. If a customer can access it on their handset it needs to work. If it doesn’t it will do more damage than good to your brand. Invite feedback and always read customer reviews (don’t just ask friends to write them!) to ensure you’re meeting the needs of your consumer. Oliver Newton, Head of Emerging Platforms, i‐level

10. Be on brand. Just like with any form of communication ensure that your app is ‘on brand’. Tone of voice, brand values, message, production values and brand fit are essential in making a great brand app. Kieron Matthews, Marketing Director, IAB

Despite so much doom and gloom about local advertising in general – across newspapers, direct mail, TV, radio, yellow pages, outdoor, magazines and fixed online – collectively forecast by BIA Financial Network (BIA), parent of the Kelsey Group, to decline to $144.4 billion by 2013 from $155 billion last year.  The decline is clearly not going to be consistent across the full range of media. With budgets under pressure and advertisers beginning to demand far more tangible ROI, traditional media as we know it is likely to be hit far harder. New media will begin to command a far greater share of spend which will present significant opportunity for fresh revenue streams. BIA has forecast the new media share globally to grow from around 9% today to over 22% by 2013. A recent study from Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) predicts by 2013 the new media share of advertising in the UK will be around 34%. So the advertising market is going to shrink and we are going to see significant substitution.

For some traditional media owners the speed of this shift will be very worrying. The changing environment will require a significant rethink of their business models and operating principles to even potentially survive. Many will simply not be capable of this transition.

Mobile I believe will be a very different story, and one of the few channels to see significant growth. In numbers terms of numbers, the Kelsey Group recently reported they expect mobile local advertising revenue to reach more than $3.1 billion by 2013, up from just $160 million in 2008. In May this year the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) for the first time reported UK mobile advertising spend, 2008 mobile advertising was £28.6 million. In isolation these figures today do not sound particularly impressive, and the 2013 figure potentially unrealistic, until compared to the fixed online environment. In 1998 the IAB reported UK internet advertising spend of £19.4 million, just 10 years later spend has grown to over £3.35 billion.

The growth in mobile advertising is likely to outstrip anything that has gone before, making the mobile channel one of the fastest growing advertising channels of all time.

Why is mobile so different? (coming next week)