The mobile market continues to see explosive growth—and despite the increasingly widespread use of smartphones and tablets, the majority of businesses don’t have a mobile-friendly website. The encouraging news? A growing number of marketers have identified mobile optimization as the most exciting digital opportunity of 2013.
The results were revealed in an Econsultancy survey that asked marketers to pick the top 3 most exciting digital opportunities of 2013. Mobile optimization ranked number one with 43% of the vote. Social engagement tied at second place with targeting and personalization, a category that newly emerged during this most recent survey. Other opportunities included content marketing and marketing automation.
Interestingly enough, several areas of focus lost emphasis compared to previous surveys. Content optimization, brand building/viral marketing, video marketing and social media analytics all declined in votes.
I’m not sure I’d agree that these are less worthwhile—in fact, the way I see it, things like content optimization, video marketing and analytics are more important than ever. But I also understand the importance of scale and prioritization—and when you’re looking at the changes ahead for the web and consumer behavior, there’s no denying that mobile deserves your undivided attention.
Mobile devices are, after all, increasingly becoming the first screen of choice for a growing number of consumers, especially young mobile users (also known as your future demographic). If you haven’t created a mobile version of important digital assets like your website and email marketing newsletter, now’s the time. And while you’re at it, think about your larger mobile strategy, too. Examine your data to see how many visitors are accessing your site from mobile devices. Can they easily find the information they need? Think about your own mobile habits, too. What information and resources do you consume on your mobile device? You might find you can refine your strategy based not only on your audience, but on your own habits as well.
I’d love to conduct our own quick survey. What’s on your radar as the most exciting digital opportunity of 2013? I’m eager to know what’s at the top of your priority list.
Image: Johan Larsson via Compfight cc
Shelly Kramer is a Principal Analyst and Founding Partner at Futurum Research. A serial entrepreneur with a technology centric focus, she has worked alongside some of the world’s largest brands to embrace disruption and spur innovation, understand and address the realities of the connected customer, and help navigate the process of digital transformation. She brings 20 years’ experience as a brand strategist to her work at Futurum, and has deep experience helping global companies with marketing challenges, GTM strategies, messaging develoment, and driving strategy and digital transformation for B2B brands across multiple verticals. Shelly’s coverage areas include Collaboration/CX/SaaS, platforms, ESG, and Cybersecurity, as well as topics and trends related to the Future of Work, the transformation of the workplace and how people and technology are driving that transformation. A transplanted New Yorker, she has learned to love life in the Midwest, and has firsthand experience that some of the most innovative minds and most successful companies in the world also happen to live in “flyover country.”