Walking and talking? Or texting? Or gaming? Or…

There is no surprise in the statement that people are using their mobile devices for much more than making phone calls.  It probably isn’t much of a stretch either to say that making phone calls isn’t even the primary use of mobile devices among a large segment of users, especially for smart phone owners.

Consider this: according to the Pew Research Center, “the use of non-voice data applications on cell phones has grown dramatically over the last year. Compared with a similar point in 2009, cell phone owners are now more likely to use their mobile phones to:

• Take pictures—76% now do this, up from 66% in April 2009
• Send or receive text messages—72% vs. 65%
• Access the internet—38% vs. 25%
• Play games—34% vs. 27%
• Send or receive email—34% vs. 25%
• Record a video—34% vs. 19%
• Play music—33% vs. 21%
• Send or receive instant messages—30% vs. 20%

While these stats are a bit dated, the trend is clear – mobile devices are becoming less of a phone and more of a “communication” or “connecting” device.

The opportunity exists for marketers to leverage mobile to achieve their business goals, as long as it fits into their existing marketing plans.  There are many ways to achieve this, and a good agency can help develop and implement a plan that makes sense for your business.

Mobile marketing, along with many other topics relating to social media marketing will be covered at the conference.  See you there!