The “mobile first” revolution is in full swing. If you are a marketer who isn’t considering putting a large chunk of your budget to reach your mobile customers, you might want to check out these numbers:
- Forbes reports that by 2017, 87% of all connected devices sales will be smartphones and tablets
- There are 6.8 billion mobile subscribers worldwide. That’s up from 6 billion in 2011
- As of June, 2013, Pew Internet found that 56% of U.S. adults are smartphone owners
- According to a recent Nielsen study, 38% of tablet users claim to have made a purchase through their device, and 24% of mobile phone users have done the same (more great stats on tablet/mobile usage in this study)
- Gartner said that mobile ad spending is expected to reach $11.4 billion in 2013
- 73% of shoppers with smartphones prefer to reference their mobile device while in-store rather than ask a sales associate for help
- By the end of 2013, there will be more mobile devices on Earth than people
What do the mobile stats mean for your marketing
The number of people using mobile devices worldwide is skyrocketing. This means that you now have more flexibility in reaching your end user. For companies that collect and track customer usage, you’ll enjoy an increase in the amount of location-based data for use in focused marketing efforts. With targeting messaging, mobile is sure to become your customers preferred method of communication.
For companies looking to increase your mobile sales, mobile users are beginning to trust this channel and many have begun to prefer this buying platform. Tracking is imperative to learning more about your customers, gaining more messaging opportunities, and providing a richer buying experience for your customers.
So put your marketing dollars where your customers are. Mobile matters!
