Remember how you used to feel the moment you realized you lost your wallet? Yeah, us too. We also remember the point in time where, all of a sudden, our wallets were secondary. No wallet, no problem...as long as we've still got our smartphones!
Think about it, though. Assuming your wallet doesn't contain thousands of dollars in cash, you'll usually have a bunch of plastic that, while extremely annoying to get replaced, can be replaced. Not only is a smartphone much more expensive than (most) wallets, it also generally contains things that can't be recovered, like photos and files that haven't been backed up (tsk tsk, but it happens to all of us!).
The usurping of the wallet as the most important thing in our pockets might seem subtle, but it was and is a harbinger of something more significant: we live in an increasingly mobile world!
Mobile technology is everywhere. Smartphones and apps engage and connect us to each other in ways we hadn’t even thought of 15 years ago. Mobile is the movement driving society toward a future in which technology is a fully integrated component of life across the entire globe.
As marketers, there’s no time to discuss the pros and cons of a mobile world – as we said, we’re living in it. The quicker you jump on the mobile express, the sooner you’ll be able to grasp how the mobile movement is drastically changing customers journeys.
Because we’re sure about one thing: if you’re not as mobile as your customers, they won’t be your customers much longer.
The fact that over 30% of the world's population has a smartphone is proof enough the mobile technology movement has arrived. Along with this device domination, app creation and usage has exploded, with good reason. Game and productivity apps allow us to hold have fun and improve our lives – all from a device we hold in our hands.
As a marketer, however, one of the most intriguing stats we came across is that of the average 4-5 hours mobile users spend on their devices, 80% of it is spent on three apps – and one of those apps is Chrome. To us, this suggests the importance of a solid mobile marketing strategy because, despite all the apps out there, people are still browsing – and therefore searching for products and services – from their smartphones.
As a business owner or marketer, don't let anyone tell you your industry isn't right for mobile marketing. Somewhere out there, somebody is using their smartphone to search for exactly what you offer.
One of the most surprising aspects of the mobile technology movement is how it interacts with and impacts non-technological activities. For example, shopping in a store, in itself, does not involve a mobile device in any way, shape or form. However, our mobile devices have become such a part of our everyday lives that of course, we bring them shopping. When we have our devices with us while we're in a store, it means we have quick and easy access to apps and the Internet – which can actually make us more efficient shoppers!
As always, don't only believe us, trust the numbers too. 80% of consumers use their smartphones to shop, a stat that definitely passes our eye test (almost everybody we see in stores has their phone out). A more significant stat suggests 40% of shoppers consult three or more channels – while shopping – before making a purchase. That consumers are getting smarter is no secret, but the whole research aspect of consumerism is now happening on the go.
Your customers are now moving targets so you better get used to the mobile game!
On TV shows and movies, "following the money" often leads investigators straight to the real criminals. In the digital world, following the money also leads to the truth.
The truth is in 2015, $28 billion was spent by non-tech companies to acquire tech companies. And if you've been paying attention, you've watched mobile apps like Uber and OfferUp reach $10 billion in gross sales at what seems like no time at all.
The money is easy to follow. And there's so much of it being spent on technology that it can mean only one thing: mobile is the way of the future.
That's it for this month's infographic summary, but come back in October to see what we cook up for Halloween! Here's the full infographic, for your sharing pleasure:
