Just about the time when social media marketing truly comes into its own — when you can really mean it when you say everyone is doing it — mobile marketing will take its place as the “next big thing.”
That’ll be in about eight or 10 to 15 years from now. Let’s just say 10, give or take a few.
Relatively speaking, there’s a small portion of the U.S. adult population active in social media. Still a large number, but still enough room to ignore it and still be successful. Ultimately, you go where your market is, and active social media marketing is not right for everyone. (I say active, but most all businesses should be monitoring.)
While many most businesses and agencies are trying to get a handle on social media marketing and how to justify it, they need to keep an eye on mobile marketing.
Because boy oh boy, it’s coming. And, the potential will be much greater than social media marketing. At some point, much more so than social media, you’ll be able to say that literally everyone is doing it.
Why? Because mobile will be second nature.
According to Nielsen Mobile (courtesy of MarketingCharts.com):
- 46% of U.S. tweens (age 8-12) use a cell phones. That’s 20 million people, according to the study.
- 55% of tweens who own a cell phone send text messages. (That’s 11 million people, if you’re not doing your math.)
- 21% tweens who own a cell phone download ringtones (that’s 4.2 million).
“Tweens have grown up with mobile phones and expect them to do much more than make a call,” said Richard Wood, Nielsen Mobile Vice President of Consumer Insights, per the study.
According to a recent Harris Interactive Survey (conducted for the CTIA: The Wireless Association), 57% of survey respondents (2000 teens) “viewed the mobile phone as key to their life.” Nearly four of five teens, or 17 million, carry a mobile phone, which is a 40% increase from 2004.” (Courtesy of MobileMarketer.)
Despite the fact that an Experian Consumer Research study (noted into a MultiMedia Intelligence report, according to MobileMarketer) indicates teen mobile subscriber market is flat, if 90% of teens have a mobile phone, just think of the population raw numbers if you carry that percentage forward as those teens, the tweens, the youth, toddlers, babies and those not even born yet become adults!
As mobile devices become as commonplace as carrying a wallet or a purse, mobile marketing will be one of the primary vehicles to reach people.
Of course, as with any marketing communications, you need to consider the best vehicles and messages to reach your audience. Still, I’d say smart marketers will be keeping an eye, er I mean an ear on mobile marketing.
– Mike
Image of “making ‘Dontcha Wish Your Cell Phone Was Hot Like Me?’“” courtesy of ARI on Flickr.
Post was updated 9/23/2008 with a change of images due to request from the owner of the original.
