A report from IDC suggests that companies looking to alter their marketing campaigns may want to target smartphone users. The study found that global smartphone ownership increased by more than 42.5 percent in first quarter of 2012 compared to the same three-month period in 2011, and Brafton has previously reported that mobile web users are more likely to search for the latest industry news content.
Across Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android, growth has remained consistently strong as consumers and businesses opt for smartphones rather than feature phones. Currently, Apple’s iPhone accounts for 18.3 percent of all mobile phones currently in use, according to IDC. Gauging Android’s market share from IDC’s numbers is difficult due to their inclusion of feature phones. Brafton recently reported that mobile activity, especially search, is rising on most major mobile operating systems.
For marketers, smartphone users’ constant web access presents more opportunities to improve web marketing campaigns and over site traffic. The internet-connected devices allow owners to browse the web with few limitations more frequently. This has driven news content consumption, with 78 percent of tablet owners saying they keep up with news more regularly now that they can search for updates on the go. As such, regularly updated content marketing campaigns aimed at attracting more users and driving them through the conversion funnels can reach an even wider audience.
In addition to boosting news readership, Brafton recently reported that smartphones and other mobile devices have become integral tools for those looking to learn more potential purchases. Developing custom content as part of a search marketing campaign can help companies appeal to mobile users turning to search to start their product research. Nineteen percent of consumers said that they use their smartphone regularly when reading about products.
