Brand spend of the U.S. mobile marketing market in 2006 will likely be more than double what it was in 2005, according to a new report from IDC. The market research firm shies away from disclosing other figures or forecasts, but it does provide some interesting practical advice. The key to mobile marketing success is eyeballs. However, there is a thin line between the methods that gain users attention and the approaches that annoy them. An IDC survey shows that “mobile users show limited tolerance for prerolls lasting more than 8 to 10 seconds.” This means effective mobile marketing campaigns have to be short, catchy and not assume users are a captive audience.

IDC also confirms the link between mobile marketing and relevancy based on users’ mobile search patterns and profiles. “If done right, mobile marketing provides an unparalleled window into the lives of mobile users such as their search, discovery and sharing of content,” the report concludes. Press release