Apparently, when Facebook filed its plans to go public, analysts saw nothing but “red flags” that the social network had thus far failed to monetize its 425+ million mobile users…

The disclosure sent up red flags for analysts, because the company also said it does not “currently directly generate any meaningful revenue from the use of Facebook mobile products, and our ability to do so successfully is unproven.”

Talk about a “glass is half empty” attitude. For me, that looks like a huge opportunity for Facebook and I suspect that the dire warning was nothing more than the obligatory pessimistic statements needed when making any financial statement.

Anyway, it appears Facebook’s ready to give mobile advertising another crack with a major announcement in New York on February 29th.

Smartphones are not the wave of the future. They are the wave of now. Whether you are defined as a Millenial or someone older but with a substantial income the smartphone is a part of the existence of the majority in major demographic groups.

A recent survey from Nielson did more to state the obvious, especially for marketers, that the devices are being purchased and used in great numbers. If you are hesitating on your mobile strategy you could be leaving money on the table.

The demographics should tell the story for any company. Look at your target market. If they are likely to be carrying a smartphone then your marketing efforts better make the effort to reach them. It really is that simple.

When you’ve got something people want, it only makes sense to ask them to pay for it, right? But that logic doesn’t always work when it comes to mobile content.

There are plenty of studies that show people are reluctant to plunk down more than .99 for an app they’ll likely use every day. On the other hand, several newspapers have had luck with mobile, paid subscribers.

Now, CBS and Turner are putting the paywall to the test with NCAA March Madness. Though the FAQ on March Madness Live is extensive, it boils down to this:

• Games on CBS will run live on their website, free for all.
• Games on Turner will run free online if you’re an authenticated cable subscriber.