A new study by Pew just confirmed that 88% of US adults own a cell phone and 55% of US adults browse the internet on their phone. Keep in mind that this doesn't include teens. Even more interesting is that of those 55%, 31% report to using their phone to access the internet more than any other device.
These numbers would be wise to note seeing as they are indicating explosive growth in mobile web. After all, smartphones weren't even a common name back in 2009, and the iPad has only been around since 2010, just two years ago.
In just a few years, we have seen the rise of mobile internet on par with the rise of everyone's favorite topic these days, social media. Social media, however, is really just a facet of the importance of digital technology and how those advances are shaping the way we connect to each other online.
Marketers aren't the only force in the world that need to take note of where their audience is accessing their content. Businesses looking to keep their products relevant need to make sure that their services reflect these shifts in technology.
Making your product or brand "mobile-friendly" is much more important than some may think.Not caring about how your site appears on a mobile phone, for example, can be a disastrous PR move, seeing as your site is a reflection of your credibility.
There are definitely great abiders by this, as we see many more businesses utilizing cloud software more efficiently than ever, but that is not enough. As I said before, digital technology and how it is constantly changing shapes exactly how we use these new advances such as the cloud, mobile apps, telecommunications, what have you.
More and more people are converting to the notion that tablets and smartphones are the true tools of the future. Will your company heed that?
Jon Negroni is the Director of Public Relations, Promotion, and Marketing at Richter10.2 Media Group. For more information regarding Richter10.2, check out our introduction video here.
