How Smartphones Affect Your Business

A new report from eMarketer is predicting that the majority of mobile users will have a smartphone by 2013. In addition, eMarketer predicts that smartphone usage will increase to 192.4 million by 2016, when 58.5% of the total US population will have a smartphone. How will this affect your business? Tara Banda from the ReachLocal blog offers up 5 points to consider:

1) At of the end of 2011, 101 million people in the U.S. were using smartphones.
Why this matters: This is a 60% increase in mobile usage from the end of 2010, which also showed a 60% increase from 2009, demonstrating rapid growth. Incorporating mobile into your marketing can help your small business stay connected to your potential consumers.

2) 61% of smartphone users search for local information.
Why this matters: People are searching for your business type or service when they are on the go. That’s why having a mobile Web presence is so critical for any local business. Having a mobile-optimized site can help you connect with mobile consumers. Claiming your business location on large search engines, local search directories, and social media can help potential consumers find you. And, including mobile in your search advertising can boost your visibility in the search results, generating new leads.

3) 22% of small business owners and decision makers plan to increase their mobile marketing efforts in 2012.
Why this matters: This statistic could also read, “Your competitors are dedicating resources to mobile marketing.” In order to stay competitive, you should too.

4) Between January 2011 and January 2012, mobile access to the Internet doubled.
Why this matters: As mobile Internet usage continues to grow, the importance of mobile marketing will only continue to grow with it. More consumers will look for your business on their mobile devices in addition to their desktops. More opportunities to connect with mobile customers will arise. That’s why right now, you should be investing in your mobile Web presence and in a mobile marketing plan.

5) Of all the mobile searches for local businesses, 52% of search clicks resulted in calls.
Why this matters: It’s one thing to say that more people are using mobile to search for local businesses. However, knowing that these searches generate leads and conversions even further demonstrates the value of investing in mobile marketing.

The full article can be viewed here.

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