MMS Specifications (Text and Layout Guide)

Design Guidelines

MobileDigital MMS Spec:

IMAGE: 450px WIDTH * 570px HEIGHT,

IDEAL SIZE: 220KB 

FORMAT: PNG or GIF

MMS is a Technology Implementation

	Like any technology it has technical specifications that marketers, designers and communicators need to keep in mind to optimise the customer experience.
	Communicate your message quickly by keeping it within the preview area of the phones message inbox for quick and easy consumption.
	Ensure text is as LARGE as possible while fitting in your design. Try to avoid using a type smaller than 18-20 pixels high.
	When creating animated GIF images, ensure they are compressed and exported no larger than 220kb for universal compatibility amongst various mobile networks.

Personalisation is key!

	Personalisation is not just about putting a name on an image, although that is one aspect of the magic that intouch from MobileDigital do! There are many ways you can target your customers interests, buying preferences and personal purchase triggers.
	Personalisation of your images or animations is essentially optimising the customer experience by identifying them as an individual.
	Just using their name isn't enough - context of the relationship, campaign timing and even demographic targeting communications are all key aspects.
	People respond faster and with more interest to experiences tailored to their needs, history and preferences. The tone and manner that you use to communicate this message is equally important.
	Your brand attributes play an important role here too! How do you want to be perceived by your target audience? This will also have a bearing on what you say and how you say it.

MMS Design Tips & Guidelines

Animated GIF's can be created easily in a variety of software applications from Adobe Photoshop to Freeware tools. While creating a GIF is simple enough, there are guidelines on limitations on implementing them into the MMS world and ensuring that your customers have the most success in receiving your message.

	Keep your image screens (or frames) to approximately 4 or 5. Any more than that you will have an image too large for telco networks to handle requiring heavy compression which will affect visual quality. Another downside is too much content for the customer to view at once, ideally you want the shortest way to state your message to keep your customers eyes on the offer.
	Try to keep your file size around or below 220kb. The main reason is that MMS messages to be widely accepted by various telco networks, need to be under 300kb in size. Once you begin personalising your MMS campaign message with active links, accompanying SMS content the overall size can grow over the 300kb.

Visual Design for MMS

It is important when designing an MMS and pitching your marketing vision to a mobile platform, that designers take into consideration the small screen form factor. Where possible, prepare your images to represent the brand in the smaller space and not necessarily with the same assets being used in other media such as Website, TV, or EDM. Mobile phone users are keen for visual content in bite-size messages that take mere seconds to take in. We talk about the 6-second attention space of a mobile user - not a short attention span, a greedy attention span almost! A mobile user wants to be constantly interested or they will simply close the message or put their phone down.

The right imagery can tell a story quickly and effectively and keep the viewer engaged and gets your key message in the fastest possible way.

We recommend consideration of the following when briefing a design team for a mobile marketing campaign.

	Make it personal - whatever the offer or message, mobile is personal. Use tone-of-voice, context, empathy, understanding and use names even nicknames whenever possible.
	Make it emotional - mobile is about eliciting an emotional response within 6-8 seconds. What reaction do you wish to evoke? Will it be serious, fun, adventurous, empathetic, whimsical or something else?
	Make it easy - good links for the recipient to do something with. Active links in a customised message will mean a simple 'tap to commit'
	Make it contextual - linking the message to past experiences further embeds that personal understanding of their needs and shopping experiences
	Make it worthwhile - there is a fine line between a great deal and annoying someone with 'another useless offer' - finding that balance is tough,but will break down the perception of valuable vs unwanted communication.