According to a Pew Research study done earlier this year, there are currently 302 million cell phones in the U.S. Eighty-eight percent of U.S. adults own a cell phone and 46% of these are smartphones, marking the first time that smartphones outnumber traditional cell phones.
The largest growth in smartphone ownership has come from adults ages 18-24, followed by adults ages 45-54.
The average mobile Web user spends 117 minutes a day on their mobile device at a variety of locations.
- 67% use their mobile device while lying in bed
- 47% use their mobile device while waiting for something
- 39% use their mobile device while watching television
- 25% use their mobile device while commuting
- 22% use their mobile device while spending time with family
- 19% use their mobile device while in the bathroom
- 15% use their mobile device while shopping
- 15% use their mobile device at social gatherings
Small business and mobile strategy
To date, 72% of small businesses have not incorporated a mobile strategy into their marketing plan. This information, along with the fact that mobile advertising spending is predicted to increase from $416 million in 2009 to $4,496 million in 2015, indicates there is a lot of untapped opportunity to attract this new business.
Mobile advertising is on pace to deliver a record-breaking $11.6 billion dollars in ad spending in 2012, jumping 85% from $6.3 billion in 2011, according to a recent report from Strategy Analytics.
Reaching where customers spend time
Addressing the record increase in the mobile spend, Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO, Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), said that the growth in mobile is "indicative of an increased awareness from advertisers that they need to reach consumers where they are spending their time - digital media. With the proliferation of smartphones and tablets, it is likely that the tremendous growth in mobile will continue as these screens become even more crucial to the marketing mix."