People are using these tools to help them perform tasks that used to be done in person or via a computer or telephone. Mobile applications and internet search engines have replaced taking a walk through the yellow pages and physically conducting many business transactions. For this reason, it is important for a company to adopt a marketing strategy that meets this changing trend if it has any hope of competing in today's market.
A Mobile World
The world around us is a mobile world. More people conduct business via their mobile devices now than ever before. In the last ten years, smartphones have become an essential part of everyday life, and any business that wants to incorporate that demographic into their client base needs to have a marketing scheme that addresses this audience. According to Statista, the number of smartphones being used in the United States more than tripled from 62.6 million in 2010 to 207.1 million in 2016. This dramatic increase illustrates a trend that shows no indication of changing. We are and for the foreseeable future will be, a mobile society.
The travel industry, in particular, has seen an increase in business via a mobile device. According to Hospitality Net, the way people are booking travel reflects the digital trend which has become a way of life for many who own mobile devices. On their webpage, they cite a study that by comScore which was commissioned by Expedia Media Solutions, that examined online travel bookings from various devices while considering the elements of content, resources utilized, destinations found and digital advertising. The study showed that before actually booking their trip, consumers satisfied their craving for information more often than not by engaging content via their mobile device as opposed to using a desktop computer.
Application Information
The societal trend toward smartphones has lent itself to a concurrent trend of using smartphone applications to conduct business that was previously done via home computer or telephone. A mobile app is an easy way for consumers to do business while they are on the move without sacrificing time. In the major cities where many people do not own a car but ride local mass transit, they often use their mobile device to do research, make arrangements or to communicate at the same time that they are travelling to their job, home or some other destination. Having a mobile application with detailed information and options to contract transactions gives consumers the advantage of being able to multi-task which is a valuable commodity in modern society. For any business operating in today's market mobile applications are a mandatory feature that they must have.
Internet Presence
Having a strong web presence is as vital to all 21st-century businesses as having a newspaper, radio and television presence was to 20th-century businesses. Without it, you may as well close up shop. In today's society the internet is the lifeline that connects the world. Google's "Micro-moments" report concluded that 87% of mobile device users keep their smartphones with them day and night checking them on average 150 times each day and using them 177 minutes each day. In addition eMarketer found that U.S. adults spent 3 hours per day on "non-voice" activities, i.e. reading content. This further illustrates the changing trend in how people are reading, interacting and engaging with content which illuminates the fact that businesses need a significant internet presence in order to reach, attract and secure the consumer market that is accessing these venues.
