For many brands developing and optimising for mobile devices is a given. We all know that using the web on the go is fast becoming the new way to gain information and utilise the internet. Yet there are many businesses still failing to act upon this and the repercussions could be costly.
Research conducted by Tamer has shown just how important the use of mobile devices is becoming. They found that 20% of 18 to 24 year olds access a search engine from their mobile phones at least once a month and that 11% of this age group are searching at least once a week. Just as important it was found that 27% of 25 to 34 year olds access a search engine at least once a month from a mobile phone and 9% of these doing so at least once a week.
So make no mistake accessing the web through mobile devices is on the rise and it will –without question- continue to rise. These statistics alone show the importance of why organisations should create and optimise their mobile web presence as there is a huge chunk of traffic there to be had
However if still not convinced by mobile search here are some other points to consider:
- More and more people are opting for smarthphones over conventional mobile phones
- Google, Microsoft, are recognising the importance of mobile search and putting more money into developing it
- Mobile phone networks are providing better price structuring in conjunction with using the web
So it would appear we are in the midst of a revolutionary change in how we use search. Make no mistake all the signs are there to suggest that mobile search will be as big as traditional search so now more then ever is the prefect time to take the necessary steps in adapting websites and optimising them…or risk being left behind!
September 22nd, 2009 at 3:54 pm
I believe that going mobile is only relevant for certain companies. The market using there phones to view websites is very small and specific in comparison to other marketing and so i don’t think that any company should spend money on this kind of marketing unless they have research to back it up as a viable solution.
September 22nd, 2009 at 4:09 pm
Hi Anna,
Thanks for your comment. I agree that the market is rather small at the moment however it is definitely something to consider. I’m of the opinion that we cannot underestimate the information people are after whether it be locations or information on products before purchasing and so I would disagree that it is only relevant for some companies although would say that eccomerce sites with bricks and mortar would perhaps benefit the most.
Also the fact that Google alone are investing so much in mobile search would suggest that it is something to seriously consider. Even Eric Schmidt has said that ‘mobile devices are going to be the majority of the way that people get information’ and that is why I think people need to get on board sooner rather than later.
September 24th, 2009 at 9:02 am
Hi Anthony
I see your point and i agree that it shouldn’t be written off as an option, but for companies with smaller budgets mobile marketing is probably a luxury they can’t/shouldn’t afford. For bigger companies with bigger budgets and who are looking to stay at the forefront of marketing then yep i agree they should defiantly get on board sooner rather than later. Especially if like you say Google is investing so much into this area.
Thanks for the interesting post and the reply.
Anna