Mobile phones don't just produce a bunch of OMGs and LOLs anymore. Everyone has a smart phone or will have one someday. People use their phones to do everything their computers can do, right from their pockets. This means that organizations need to start paying attention. Here are ten stats to show that it's time to start thinking about connecting with customers through mobile:
1. The number of Americans using smartphones exceeded 100 million in January 2012. That marks a growth rate of 13% between October 2011 and January 2012. (Source: ComScore)
2. In 2011, the number of smartphones sold exceeded the number of PCs. By 2014, it is estimated that 1 billion smartphones will be sold – twice as many as PCs. (Source: Pew Research Center)
3. Over 90% of the U.S. population aged 13 and over uses mobile devices (Source: CodeGeek.com)
4. 91% of all U.S. citizens have their mobile device within reach 24/7. (Source: Morgan Stanley, HubSpot)
5. 46.3% of smartphone owners are aged between 25 and 44 (Source: comScore, MobiLens, MarketingProfs)
6. 38% of U.S. smartphones owners have used their device to make a purchase (Source: comScore)
7. 73% of Americans use their mobile devices to text and take pictures, 44% to access the internet, and 38% to send/receive email. (Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project)
8. 70% of all mobile searches result in action within 1 hour. (Source: Mobile Marketer, HubSpot
9. It takes 26 hours for the average person to report a lost wallet. It takes 68 minutes for them to report a lost phone. (Source: Unisys, HubSpot)
10. Mobile coupons get 10 times the redemption rate of traditional coupons. (Source: Borrell Associates, HubSpot)
What does all this mean for community organizations? You probably view your website as a key marketing tool to promote your programs, classes and more. And a portion of your visitors are accessing your site from their mobile phones. For Active.com, our consumer site and registration directory for all things active, 18% of site visits come via mobile devices.
It's time to 1) create a mobile-optimized version of your website, and 2) consider what mobile apps you could use or create to better engage with your customers.
