The worst kept secret on the Web is the fact that mobile Internet usage will overtake desktop Internet usage in the very near future. The joke is that there are 6 billion people on the planet, of which 4.8 billion have a mobile phone while only 4.2 billion own a toothbrush. Since 2009, the global use of mobile devices to access the Internet has doubled each year. For Americans, mobile is already the primary way of accessing the web. By this time next year, more people will be using a mobile device to access the Internet than a traditional desktop device.
Many clients and businesses come to us with questions about mobile and how to leverage its power. There is no one answer that suits every situation. One business may benefit from one approach, while another may not. There are many ways to go about capturing mobile Internet users. Of course you'll want to have a fully-functioning mobile site through which users can navigate, but a new statistic may open a whole new door for marketing campaigns aimed at mobile users.
Email marketing campaigns have been a classic marketing technique since the rise of the Internet. Traditionally, people would use their computer to open up an email client like Outlook or Hotmail and sift through the contents of their inbox. Now, more people are accessing and opening emails via mobile devices than ever before. In fact, a recent email experiment in which one billion 'opens' of emails were examined shows that the iPhone accounts for most email opens, more so than Gmail, Hotmail, and Windows Live combined.
For years, Microsoft Outlook has been among the most commonly used email clients. As recently as 2011, Outlook accounted for 37% of email 'opens.' Fast forward to 2012, and the iPhone has doubled its amount of email opens in just one year while Outlook has halved its opens. iPhone is now the leading email client in the world, accounting for 20% of email opens to Outlook's 18%. This almost assuredly alters the dynamics of email marketing campaigns. Now, your prospects are looking at your emails on the go and your Calls To Actions (CTAs) should be seamlessly accessible even from a mobile device.
In one year's time, mobile will overtake desktop in Internet usage in the same way the iPhone overtook Outlook in email. Your business should design for mobile first to capture what will soon be a majority of Internet users. Mobile sites and responsive design have gained traction as a result of this rapid shift. Of course if you have any questions about mobile web solutions, feel free to contact the CommonPlaces team
