New collaborative research from the Mobile Marketing Association and Google revealed that smartphones are changing the way consumers interact with media and the internet.

New collaborative research from the Mobile Marketing Association and Google revealed that smartphones are changing the way consumers interact with media and the internet – a trend that could result in new marketing strategies for businesses worldwide, eMarketer reported.

According to the report, the gap between PC and smartphone usage is closing. In a poll, 58 percent of American smartphone owners indicated they had used their mobile devices to access the web every day of the week they were surveyed. By comparison, 78 percent had used their PC to browse the internet during the same time.

“As the study shows, smartphones are used extensively by consumers and are a powerful new tool in engaging the marketplace,” said Michael Becker, North American managing director of the MMA.

Additionally, the study found mobile internet usage is expected to increase rapidly going forward. Reporting on the survey, eMarketer noted that 91 percent of U.S. respondents plan to use the mobile internet more often for such activities as browsing and shopping, among others.

Many companies have already picked up on this trend and are adjusting their marketing strategies accordingly. A recent study from Oxford Economics and SAP revealed that nearly 60 percent of surveyed executives see mobile as having a significant impact on their business within the next five years.