Is it mobile?

Seven months ago my daughter was 1; 1 day old, that is. It still feels like she just got here, but the differences between a newborn and a 7-month-old are significant. She has changed a lot in that time. Comparing now to then it is easy to see the differences, but not so much along the way.

Things change, often faster than not, and if you don’t pay attention you’ll miss it, which could mean missing out.

For example, 7 months ago Pew Research reported that 35% of U.S. cell phone owners use mobile banking1. That was up nearly 20% over the previous 2 years.  Just 1 month ago they updated their statistics on mobile technology noting that 55% of U.S. adults own a smartphone2 – up approximately 10% from 1 year previous, and over 20% from 3 years ago. Tablets are rising even faster with 42% of U.S. adults in the tablet ownership category – up from just 3% in May 2010.

In many ways mobile still feels fresh and new (and no doubt it still is compared to other media formats), but it has already become ubiquitous.  My wife and I have never been “early adopters”, yet she got her tablet (which I still consider relatively new) 2 years ago, putting her in the first 20% of tablet ownership.  Ownership has over doubled since then! It is no longer a matter of “if” or even “when” for mobile – the question is “what”. What are you doing about mobile now?

Seven months ago, mobile was here. It was not a fad or a trend.  But it is changing, growing, evolving. More people than ever are using smartphones, more are using tablets, and even more are going to in the weeks and months ahead.  If you are not doing something about it now, you are missing out. So the question you need to ask yourself about your online advertising is:

Is it mobile?

1. 51% of U.S. Adults Bank Online by Susannah Fox:
http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/08/07/51-of-u-s-adults-bank-online/

2. Mobile Technology Fact Sheet:
http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheets/mobile-technology-fact-sheet/

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