Survey reveals growing appeal of mobile communication
PR agency Weber Shandwick, in conjunction with KRC Research, have published new research which has revealed the growing importance of mobile marketing to enhance a brand.
The survey highlighted the challenges brands face in reaching consumers through smartphone technology but observed that the medium is becoming the primary channel for brand interaction.
Smart Marketing: Mobilising Your Brand showed that 45% of some 2000 European respondents preferred to do business with companies that make it easy for them to interact via mobile - despite the current poor mobile experience offered by brands.
Colin Byrne, CEO EMEA, Weber Shandwick said: “Our research highlights a clear opportunity for brands to get closer to their audiences through mobile devices. They need to start by understanding how their audiences interact using mobile devices and also critically assess what it’s like when those people try to engage with them via mobile today. They can then think about how they can take advantage of the immediacy, location and personalisation inherent in mobile to enhance their communications.”
Smartphone usage is currently exploding worldwide, growing by 85% in the first quarter of 2011 alone. For a quarter of all smartphone users their devices are now their first port of call when accessing information such as emails – even when a PC is close to hand.