Ten reasons for brands to move from digital to mobile first

1 - More people worldwide now have a mobile phone than electricity

‘In 1982, there were 4.6 billion people in the world, and not a single mobile-phone

subscriber. Today, there are seven billion people in the world—and six billion mobile

cellular-phone subscriptions’(Mashable 9/5/2012)

2 - At the latest, in eighteen months mobile Internet will have surpassed desktop Internet use

3 - The mobile is the most essential form of media among 16-24 year olds, ahead of the PC+Internet and the TV

All adults: TV 44%, PC+Internet 17%, Mobile

phones 13%

16-24 year olds: Mobile phones 28%, PC+Internet 26%, TV 23%Note - this question

was last asked in 2010. The results will be more pronounced

now

4 - Mobile social networking is growing faster than social networking via PCs

Time spent on Facebook’s mobile site and apps per month (441 minutes) has finally surpassed usage of its classic website (391 minutes) — for Americans who use both Facebook interfaces.

In the EU5, growth rates from mobile users accessing social networks by far outpaced growth rates of computer users - Twitter grew 110% on mobiles

5 - Children today have a familiarity with mobile devices from a very young age

Nearly twice as many kids 2-5 can play with a smartphone

application as tie their shoelaces

58% of children 2-5 in the major industrialised nations can play a

basic computer game - most often on their parents’ smartphones / tablets

6 - We’re heading towards a point perhaps 1-2 years down the line where smartphones will account for the majority of pictures taken - and shared

In 2010, 52% of photos in the US were taken with ‘single purpose cameras’, while 17% were taken with smartphones.   In 2011, that ratio changed to 44% / 27%.   Similarly, here in the UK, almost a third of consumers say their smartphone is the camera they use most often 

7 - Smartphones are “poised to become consumers’ favourite shopping companion in 2012” (Comscore)

One in five U.S. smartphone owners took a picture of a product while in store and nearly the same number texted or called family or friends about a specific product.

Women in particular were more likely to make shopping a ‘social’ experience, with 24% taking pictures, while men were more likely to use their phones for information gathering, such as scanning a barcode or comparing prices

8 - Over a quarter of smartphone owners have bought via their phones. Over half have researched a purchase (Google)

9 - Once consumers go online with their mobiles, it becomes habit-forming

10 - And not forgetting social TV. When an ad break comes on, 60% don’t put the kettle on or follow the call of nature...they check their phones

• Optimise your content for mobile devices

• Recognise that mobile consumption is different to PC / Internet consumption both in times of day (AM best), and how its consumed (snacking on smartphones, more detail tablets)

• Embrace growing mobile only networks. E.g. photos - Instagram has 50+ million users. Video - Socialcam close to 40 million

• If you have a real world or bricks and mortars space embrace signs to social - people will be going online via their phones. You need to channel this via physical prompts

So what should you be doing?

Thank you! See links for further info

Blog post to accompany presentation - http://rab.bt/statsmobile

To find me: Twitter and Instagram @dirktherabbit

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