That is, if you’re having doubts about it or haven’t yet tried it. Well, for starters, if you’re skeptical, consider this: According to location-based ad platform Verve Mobile, in 2012, the amount of U.S. mobile ad campaigns had more than doubled from 17 percent in 2011 to 36 percent in 2012.
There’s more, too, if that isn’t enough: Smallbiztrends.com has posted a nifty infographic further laying out more evidence why you should hip yourself to it. Among the stats listed:
- 21 percent of consumers search for mobile coupons on their phones while in stores.
- 73 percent of consumers say they have used their mobile phones in stores.
- 38 percent of smartphone users have used their phones to make purchases.
There’s tons tons more on the infographic, but, it should go without saying that more and more people are buying smartphones as they become increasingly cheaper and more smartphones. And although that means people can comparison shop while in a store looking at the item they want to purchase (it’s called showrooming, which doesn’t lead to people leaving and buying elsewhere as often as one might assume), it also means you can raise awareness of your company or perhaps prevent them from even shopping around while in your aisles.
Whatever it is, you should read about it further before you completely rule it out — it’s where things are going.
David Wolinsky is a freelance writer and a lifelong Chicagoan. In addition to currently serving as an interviewer-writer for Adult Swim, he's also a comedy-writing instructor for Second City and an adjunct professor in DePaul’s College of Computing and Digital Media. He was the Chicago city editor for The Onion A.V. Club where he provided in-depth daily coverage of this city's bustling arts/entertainment scene for half a decade. His first career aspirations were to be a game-show host.
