While technology tells the tale of the digital tools we will use most in the near future, demographics are dictating by whom and how those tools will be used.
The entire world is going mobile, and doing so quickly. Growth in sales of smartphones and tablets outstripped PC sales for the first time this year. Developing countries have invested in mobile accessibility as a more efficient and lower cost alternative to the extensively hard-wired infrastructure upon which PC’s rely. A group of recent studies show key trends in mobile Internet use by age group and income that are reshaping the advertising landscape.
- Smartphone Penetration by Age and Income, Nielsen: Smartphones now account for half of all mobile phones and dominate new phone purchases. Smartphone penetration is greater the younger the user, but higher income users are more likely to own smartphones regardless of age.
- Smartphones are Closing the Socioeconomic Digital Divide, Pew Internet: “Among smartphone owners, young adults, minorities, those with no college experience, and those with lower household income levels are more likely than other groups to say that their phone is their main source of internet access.”
- Digitally Connected Consumers Switch Media 17-27 Times an Hour, Time Warner/Innerscope Research: Consumers in their 20’s with ready access to multiple digital platforms switch media venues 27 times per non-working hour on average, compared with 17 time per hour for older age groups.
- Consumers and Mobile Financial Services, Federal Reserve Board: “The prevalence of mobile phone access among minorities, low-income individuals, and younger generations creates the possibility of using mobile technology to expand financial inclusion to previously underserved populations.”
These trends are great news both for organizations seeking to reach the broadest possible audience and for those looking to narrowly target groups. There are ever more people to reach via mobile advertising strategies and mobile technologies create unique opportunities for targeted advertising by location or demographic.
Dominion Strategies’ advertising services offers an integrated approach that spans all platforms, combining technology services ‒ such as HTML5, responsive designed, campaign-tailored mobile apps ‒ with strategically targeted ad placements and result-driven visual creatives.
