31 Mobile Marketing Statistics to Help You Plan for 2017

Are you reading this from a mobile device?

Based on the following statistics (and walking into any Starbucks) — I’m willing to bet you are.

Inbound marketers have been following the upward trend of mobile marketing for years, but it’s reached a point that all marketers can’t ignore it anymore.

Optimizing for mobile and creating a mobile marketing strategy are two things that if you haven’t done already, you have to do in 2017. — No excuses.

Just take a look at the following 31 mobile marketing statistics, if you’re not convinced:

 

1. Over 36% of mobile subscribers use iPhones or iPads to read email and 34% of subscribers only use mobile devices to read emails. (Informz)

How many people in your office have an iPhone or iPad? Take the time to see how your company emails look on those devices before pressing “send” and you’ll lower your risk of disappointing over one-third of your subscribers.

 

2. 80% of internet users own a smartphone. (Smart Insights)

With so many cell phone services giving away free smartphones with their contracts, this number is only going to keep increasing — which is good news for companies with a mobile marketing strategy.

Learn how to create the best experience possible on mobile devices in this on-demand webinar!

 

3. 48% of consumers start mobile research with a search engine. (Smart Insights)

This is why you want to produce valuable content that makes it easy for your buyer persona to find you online.

 

4. 33% of consumers start mobile research with a branded website. (Smart Insights)

This is why you want to produce valuable content to make your brand the authority in your niche. (Are you starting to see a pattern here?)

 

5. 26% of consumers start mobile research with a branded app. (Smart Insights)

Despite the explosion of mobile apps in the last few years, consumers still trust search engines the most when researching a product or service.

 

6. Apps account for 89% of mobile media time, with the other 11% spent on websites. (Smart Insights)

Consumers might prefer to do research elsewhere, but they want to consume media through an app. Provide a great experience for your persona in your app and handle your marketing on the web.

 

7. Tablet devices account for the highest add-to-cart rates on e-commerce websites at 8.58%. (Smart Insights)

As an online retailer, you should give extra attention to the design and user experience of the tablet version of your website.

 

8. Over 50% of smartphone users grab their smartphone immediately after waking up. (ExpressPigeon, 2014)

I’ll admit it, I’m part of that 50% who reaches for my smartphone when I first wake up.

This is one of the reasons that email marketing continues to be so valuable. People are addicted to their smartphones and when your persona subscribes to your newsletter, they’re giving you permission to communicate directly to the device that rarely leaves their hands.

Smart companies understand this concept and don’t blow it by sending spammy emails that lose their persona’s trust immediately.

 

9. The percentage of companies optimizing email for mobile devices increased by 22% in 2014. (Adestra)

Businesses are catching on. Sending emails without a clear mobile strategy will get you left behind!

 

10. The two most popular ways companies are optimizing for mobile are 1. using a simple template that works for all devices (52%) and 2. creating a mobile responsive email template (39%). (Adestra)

Optimizing emails for mobile is the bare minimum. Smart businesses optimize every aspect of their emails to generate more leads and increase their conversions.

 

11. 68% of companies have integrated mobile marketing into their overall marketing strategy. (Salesforce)

All of the data has shown that mobile marketing is profitable and shouldn’t be ignored.

 

12. 71% of marketers believe mobile marketing is core to their business. (Salesforce)

For many of our tech clients, mobile marketing is the top priority and it has shown to have a high ROI.

 

13. 58% of companies surveyed have a dedicated mobile marketing team. (Salesforce)

If you have the resources, it makes sense to have a team of people with an expertise in mobile marketing to get the most benefit from your marketing efforts.

 

14. Google says 61% of users are unlikely to return to a mobile site they had trouble accessing and 40% visit a competitor’s site instead. (MicKinsey & Company)

Is your company “phoning in” the mobile experience of your website? Not only are you turning away potential customers, but you’re sending them straight to your competitors that provide a better mobile experience.

 

15. Pinterest is the most mobile social network and 64% of its referred traffic comes from either smartphones or tablet devices. (Mobile Marketing Watch)

Facebook and Twitter get all the attention, but companies targeting mobile users should look to attract them on Pinterest as well.

 

16. By 2019, mobile advertising will represent 72% of all US digital ad spending. (Marketing Land)

Advertising online to desktops will soon join direct mail as one of the “old ways” of advertising.

 

17. In 2014, smartphones accounted for over 33% of all online traffic compared to tablets at just over 12%. (Marketing Land)

I know it sounds redundant, but having a responsive website is no longer an option — it’s a requirement.

 

18. Mobile email opens have grown by 180% in the last three years. (Email Monday)

If your mobile subscribers aren’t opening your marketing emails, it’s not them — it’s you. Here are five seemingly harmless details that drastically affect email open rates.

 

19. 79% of people surveyed use their smartphone for reading email — a higher percentage than those who used it for making calls. (Email Monday)

We’ve reached a point where the “phone” part of a smartphone is just a feature and not the primary function, which is good news for brands that use Inbound Marketing as their primary strategy.

 

20. 83% of mobile users say that a seamless experience across all devices is very important. (Wolfgang Jaegel)

This is something that Apple has mastered and proven to be very effective. Consumers now expect a seamless experience and brand consistency.

 

21. 91% of mobile users say that access to content is very important. (Wolfgang Jaegel)

The people have spoken. Your mobile site should make it as easy as possible for your persona to access your content.

 

22. Average smartphone conversion rates are up 64% compared to the average desktop conversion rates. (CMS Report)

Yet another reason to give extra attention to the mobile experience of your website. If your brand is seeing higher conversions from desktop consider these four simple tips for increasing conversions on your mobile site.

 

23. 57% of users say they won’t recommend a business with a poorly designed mobile site. (CMS Report)

Web design is no longer just about looks — it’s all about the experience. Now, more than ever, great UX has a higher ROI.

 

24. 88% of consumers who search for a type of local business on a mobile device call or go to that business within 24 hours. (Nectafy)

Just like your mother told you as a kid, first impressions really do count. People use their mobile device to find a local business when they’re ready to buy and a great mobile website makes the decision even easier for them.

 

25. 83% of B2B marketers said mobile apps were important to content marketing. (Strategy Trends)

Remember when having a website was cool and not all businesses had one? We’re seeing the exact same trend with mobile apps today.

 

26. 48% of millennials view video solely on their mobile device. (Source)

If you’re targeting a younger audience, make sure to utilize video in your mobile marketing.

 

27. Mobile will likely account for 50% of all digital ad spend in 2016 (worth $100B). (Source)

A large part of your competition is likely already investing in mobile marketing.

 

28. By 2018, 8 in 10 email users will likely access their email accounts exclusively from their mobile devices (emailmonday)

Mobile marketing isn’t just about apps and your website; even your emails need to be fully optimized to offer the best experience on the go.

 

29. 40% Of Mobile Searches Have Local Intent (Google Mobile Moments Study)

Even small, local businesses need to be equipped with a mobile strategy!

 

30. 70% Of Consumers Delete Emails Immediately That Don’t Render Well On A Mobile Device (Blue Hornet)

 

31. Mobile Offers are Redeemed 10x More Frequently Than Print Offers (eMarketer)

 

Key Takeaways:

• You can safely assume that if your buyer persona has internet they have a smartphone.
• People prefer reading emails on their mobile device and use their smartphones more for reading emails than for making calls.
• Marketers are optimizing for mobile and focusing more on mobile marketing at an increasing rate.
• Consumers are more likely to recommend and buy from the business that has a better mobile experience.
• The majority of money spent on digital advertising is targeted towards mobile.