Coming into 2017, businesses are preparing for a drastically changing landscape. Today, we are truly living in a mobile-first economy where consumers are using their mobile devices more than ever. The rapid pace in which mobile technology has changed the way small businesses interact with their customers has been nothing short of amazing and we can only expect this trend to continue. With this in mind, it would be wise for small businesses to understand how powerful mobile marketing can be for their business.
Mobile devices allow businesses to access a consumer base that is constantly online and informed. This has altered how marketing is presented, and how businesses develop their strategies. Below are 20 Statistics that demonstrate how mobile development is expanding as well as why this is important to you.
1) 89% of time spent on a mobile device is being used in an App (Smart Insights)
This statistic is a beacon for businesses. If consumers are spending so much time in apps, shouldn’t that make it the prime place for a company’s marketing efforts? Starbucks thinks so, and in 2016, their app represented 20% of their total revenue. And if you’re wondering how much does it cost to make an app the cost can be quite affordable for small businesses with the rise of easy to use DIY app builders.
2) 50% of mobile phone users check their notifications as soon as they wake up (ExpressPigeon)
Some people might argue that they only do this because of their alarm, but I think this isn’t just about hitting snooze. One in two people checks their phone to see what they missed during the night. Seems like an opportunity to send an awesome coffee coupon.
3) 52% of businesses use the same template across all devices (Adestra)
A little more than half of us have not invested in developing content specifically for a mobile device. This shows that now is the best time to switch because the industry has passed its initial growing pains, but it is still early enough to become an innovator for your industry.
4) 68% of companies use some form of mobile marketing (Salesforce)
Even if some companies are slow to fully develop their mobile presence, the majority have already started the process. It is not a secret that our society is addicted to technology; it is a little surprising that this statistic isn’t 100%.
5) 71% of Marketers think that mobile marketing is the future of the industry (Salesforce)
This one doesn’t focus on businesses themselves, but the experts within marketing. If the people who have dedicated their lives to the subject think that mobile marketing is important, there might be some truth to it. This doesn’t mean it is perfect for your business, but it is definitely a large enough factor to take a look.
6) 58% of companies have a specific team for mobile marketing (Salesforce)
This stat is isn’t about the number; it is about having the appropriate mindset in regards to mobile marketing. The mobile platform is different than other forms of digital media and the same techniques will not directly translate. To get the best results, you need have specialist in mobile marketing rather than trying to put all of the workload on your web guy or old ad agency.
7) 61% of Google users say they will not return to a mobile site that they had trouble accessing (MicKinsey & Company)
I can admit to this on a personal level. I’m impatient. If a website takes too long to load, I’ll hit back and go to the next one on Google. If your website isn’t optimized for mobile devices, you likely are losing the impatient people like me and frustrating those who stay.
8) 64% of Pinterest’s traffic comes from either mobile phones or tablets (Mobile Marketing Watch)
Pinterest is one of the largest social media platforms, and the majority of their users access their site through smart phones and tables. Do you know the breakdown of your users, and would it change your approach if you found out that the majority found you through a mobile device? If you are unsure of the benefit mobile platforms offer, consider investing in a case study.
9) 72% of all US digital ad spending will be used on Mobile Marketing by 2019 (Marketing Land)
Though this is a prediction, it represents an underlying theme of this post. The future is marketing is on the mobile platform. The people who deny this are the same breed that thought the whole Facebook thing was a fad. You might be willing to ignore it for now, but within a year or two, those without a mobile presence will look like dinosaurs.
10) 79% of people use their mobile phone for reading email (Email Monday)
This isn’t just a small majority. The vast portion of people utilize their phone to access and read their email. In fact, more people use their phone to read emails than they use it to make a call. The next stat ties into this very concept.
11) Only 39% of business use mobile responsive email templates (Adestra)
As I just mentioned, 79% use their mobile devices to read their email. If you are not optimizing those emails to easily display on a mobile phone, countless people are just deleting them rather than taking the effort to zoom and scroll around. By being one of the few businesses that stand out in this area, you can position yourself as an innovator and tap into a large potential market.
12) 70% of users delete emails immediately if they fail to properly render on their mobile device (Blue Hornet)
This is the last statistic focused on emails. By combining all three, it shows that consumers do not waste time when they are on their phones. If your marketing isn’t responding to this demand, then you are burning dollars by using ineffective methods. Is it really that hard to use a mobile-friendly template?
13) 83% of consumers want seamless content throughout all their devices (Wolfgang Jaegel)
Personally, I use a MacBook, iPhone, and iPad on a daily basis (I might be a little obsessed with Apple). Most of the time, I do not think of the layout of the site that I am on, unless it is jarringly wrong. Most often, this comes when a company only has a desktop version of their website, and I am trying to find something on my phone. Businesses that fail at optimizing their content for mobile devices are doing a great job of getting me to find a different company.
14) 91% of users believe that content accessibility is critical to the success of a mobile effort (Wolfgang Jaegel)
Pretty much everyone agrees. If your website takes too long to load or refuses to render on a mobile phone, it will fail. If you are in this category, just fix it. It doesn’t take much to get a responsive design optimized for a mobile platform. If money is an issue, go to your local University and get a professor to recommend an awesome student majoring in web design. There is no excuse why anyone should have this problem.
15) Only 43% of users will recommend a business with a poor-quality mobile site (CMS Report)
The vast majority of people will not want to risk their personal reputation, even if these businesses gives awesome service. If word-of-mouth forms the basis of your small business’s marketing efforts, you should do everything you can to get people talking about you. If having a poor mobile site inhibits this, you are only hurting yourself.
16) 88% of people call or go to a local business within 24 hours if they found their website by searching on their phone (Nectafy)
This gives an insight into a customer’s though process. If they are searching for something on their phone, there is a huge chance that they are willing to travel to fulfill their need. By having a highly-optimized, mobile website, you can take advantage these customers who are ready to immediately convert.
17) 40% of people performing a mobile search use a local specific keyword (Google Mobile Moments Study)
By optimizing your site for both local keywords and ensuring that it renders well on iPhone and Android devices, you are getting the tools necessary to tap into the demographic of people who need to make an immediate purchase.
18) 81% of people have their phone in arms reach virtually every minute that they are awake (Gallup)
Ever had that, “where’s my phone,” panic? It is anecdotal evidence of Gallup’s survey. If people are so close to this piece of technology, it should make sense that businesses target it as one of their first choices for marketing.
19) 72% of people check their phone at least once an hour (Gallup)
This doesn’t include when someone gets a text (that statistic comes next). Almost 3 in 4 people look at their phone each hour without having an intended purpose. If you can create a mobile app or mobile-friendly content that catches an audience’s attention, this is the best opportunity to get them thinking about your services.
20) 62% of people respond to a push notification within one hour (In-Situ).
The last statistic on mobile marketing is that the majority of consumers respond to push notifications immediately. For those who don’t know, these are the alerts that make a phone ring or vibrate. The signals catch users attention and will serve to immediately put your content in front of your customers. The drawback is many people view this as an interruption if it is out of context. Check out four effective ways marketers can leverage mobile push notifications.
Wrap Up: Major Themes of Mobile Growth
- Every mobile user has the phone on them the entire time that they are awake.
- Most check their phone at least once an hour or as soon as they get a notification.
- A large majority of users are turned-off from businesses that fail to optimize for the mobile platform.
In comparison to the web, mobile marketing is new and a quickly growing section of technology. This is the point in which businesses make a name for themselves, or they get left in the past.