The mobile internet appears to be approaching its next milestone, as recent figures from eMarketer estimate that 97.3 million Americans will connect to the web using mobile devices by the end of this year.

The mobile internet appears to be approaching its next milestone, as recent figures from eMarketer estimate that 97.3 million Americans will connect to the web using mobile devices by the end of this year.

This is good news for businesses that have shifted their marketing strategies to cater to mobile audiences. As Brafton recently reported, mobile users tend to take their devices everywhere, from the office, to restaurants and even to the restroom. Businesses that are able to engage tablet users through mobile marketing will likely find themselves at a distinct advantage.

“The rapidly expanding smartphone and mobile internet user populations raise the stakes for marketers and make the mobile web more of an imperative than ever,” said eMarketer principal analyst Noah Elkin.

Going forward, the mobile web's growth shows no signs of slowing. According to eMarketer, nearly half of all Americans will use the mobile internet by 2015, and penetration seems to be growing among both older and younger users.

As Brafton reported earlier this month, a study from Communispace revealed that consumers demand more personalized and relevant content when browsing the mobile web. For companies to stay ahead of the competition, it is important that mobile websites and other offerings enable users to access information quickly and conveniently.