Meet the Mobile Elite

Meet the mobile elite, a group of tech- and culturally savvy individuals who make up approximately 20% of the general population and are farther along the mobile adoption curve than the rest of the population. They spent more than $750 in the past year buying via mobile channels, or spent more than six hours per week with media and entertainment apps or mobile websites. This group of mostly Millennials (44%) and Gen Xers (29%) is deeply connected to mobile devices and see smartphones and tablets as the primary device for purchases.

Companies need to invest in well-defined mobile strategies, and they can start by better understanding this select group. No, they are not technological royalty, they are simply people who are highly engaged with their devices and use them to address every social, financial and informational need possible. Despite generational differences, a 2015 Adobe Mobile Consumer Report indicates that Millennials and Gen Xers tend to behave similarly when it comes to their mobile devices. Both groups are more active on their mobile device, preferring a smartphone as the primary device. They are more likely to have tried emerging technologies, such as mobile wallets and augmented reality apps.

Mobile Elite use smartphones and tablets for everything, but a few areas that stand out are finance, travel, shopping, and media and entertainment. Below are some statistics for each of these verticals*. Having a better understanding of your customers who use mobile, as well as when, how often, and for what purposes allows you to reach more of them more effectively.

Finance

• 67% elite vs. 49% total make person-to-person payments
• 39% elite vs. 19% total research or shop for new financial accounts
• 44% elite vs. 21% total review brokerage account, individual stock or mutual fund positions

Travel

• 81% elite vs. 47% total research travel destinations
• 71% elite vs. 39% total compare travel prices

Shopping

• 70% elite vs. 52% total check product and price information
• 52% elite vs. 38% total product comparison

Media and Entertainment

• 59% elite vs. 39% total post information on social networks
• 60% elite vs. 38% listen to music
• 35% elite vs. 18% total stream music

^{*Source: Why Targeting The ‘Mobile Elite’ Will Make or Break Your Business}

Mobile usage is growing fast, so fast in fact that mobile accounted for almost 52% of all digital ad spend, surpassing desktop ad spend. By 2019, eMarketer predicts that mobile spend will account for just about 70% of total digital spend. Mobile devices have transformed from just a means of voice communication to multi-function devices that allow users to engage in financial services, health tracking, news and information sharing, and more. At this rate it is crucial for brands to embrace mobile and invest in the tactics and technologies that deliver engaging mobile experiences.

Bullets

• Recent research shows 69% of marketers agree that consumers are more accepting of behavioral targeting in mobile channels.  Adobe US Marketers Research, February

• Having more landing pages makes it more likely that your website visitors – regardless of where they come from – will convert from visitors to leads. In fact, companies see a 55% increase in leads when increasing landing pages from 10 to 15. smartbugmedia.com

• The Internet Was the Fastest Growing U.S. Ad Medium in 2015, Showing a 18.2% Growth Spurt.  whitesharkmedia.com

• By 2020, 90% of the world’s population over age 6 will have a mobile phone, according to Ericsson’s Mobility Report. ericsson.com

• A Slingshot SEO study found that on Google, 18% of organic clicks go to the #1 position, 10% of organic clicks go to the #2 position, and 7% of organic clicks go to the #3 position. smartbugmedia.com