Earlier this month, when my Mobile Marketer column Loyalty programs must go mobile went live, one of the comments posted by a reader supported the column’s central point: mobile is where consumers already are. And while a growing percentage of the population literally can’t sleep without their mobile devices snuggled up to them in bed, loyalty program designers have been sluggish in jumping on board and embracing what’s clearly intense consumer support.
Or, to paraphrase the commentator’s words, “businesses can’t afford to miss the boat on mobile!”
And that is absolutely correct. IDC research estimated back in 2011 that by 2015, US smartphone web access would be the primary means for users going online. But as that statistic is over a year old, I wanted to find out what newer data supports my article’s loud and clear call that Mobile is a Must – Now.
Here is what I found:
- 91% of smartphone owners keep their smartphone within arm’s length distance “all” or “most” of the time
- 98% of all mobile message are opened (that’s compared to the 88% of emails that go unopened)
- Facebook finally hit the coveted 1-billion member mark on Thursday October, 4 – that means nearly 1 in 7 humans on planet Earth call Facebook home too
- People look at their phones approximately 150 times a day
- 91% of mobile Internet access is for social activities. That alone underscores the need for loyalty programs to increasingly become wedded to social media, blurring the lines between what’s considered “fun” and what’s considered loyal consumer engagement.
With staggering numbers like these, consider this blog another reminder that for loyalty program managers who haven’t jumped on the mobile bandwagon yet, the time to do that is now.
So please enjoy the article on Mobile Marketer, Loyalty programs must go mobile, and feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments about loyalty programs and mobile.
