Tapping the power of the smartphone for business marketing

Glance at any group of people the next time you’re out on the town and you’re bound to notice a common theme: Nearly all of them have smartphones.

But exactly how ubiquitous have our beloved devices become? A nationwide survey conducted by Pew Research Center sheds light on some of the compelling trends that mobile consumers are shaping. Here are some of the highlights and why a growing number of businesses are developing mobile marketing strategies:

• The majority of Americans now own smartphones. Smartphone use has grown from 35 percent of American consumers in 2011 to 68 percent today. Nine in 10 American adults own some kind of mobile phone, including smartphones.
• We use them even when we’re at home. A previous Google study found the most popular place for people to use their smartphones was at home (96 percent), followed by on-the-go (84 percent), in stores (83 percent) and in restaurants (82 percent).
• We are attached to our phones. It’s estimated that 83 percent of Americans don’t leave home without their device. About 67 percent of Americans have used their smartphone every day in the past seven days. Google’s survey showed that 36 of Americans would rather give up TV than their smartphone!