Tablets win out in the realm of mobile commerce
Mobile commerce has been growing at a rapid pace around the world. Several industries, including the retail sector, has shown a strong interest in the adoption of mobile commerce because of the opportunities it represents. Most of these industries are focusing their efforts on catering to smartphone users, who are believed to account for the vast majority of the mobile population. While this may be true, smartphone users do not account for the majority of mobile commerce activity.
Adobe research shows that web traffic primarily comes from tablet devices
According to research from Adobe, websites around the world are seeing more traffic from tablets than from smartphones. Adobe researchers tracked more than 100 billion visits to 1,000 of the world’s most popular websites, many of which included e-commerce platforms like Amazon and eBay, and found that most of this traffic was coming from tablets. Tablets are particular prolific in the United Kingdom, where consumers are more likely to surf the web and even pay their bills online using a tablet device.
Tablets considered more convenient for consumers
Researchers suggest that smartphones are more appealing to consumers when it comes to mobile applications and games. Tablets, however, are more convenient when it comes to actually browsing the Internet. Moreover, tablets can take advantage of conventional website design rather than being forced to access mobile-friendly versions of popular websites. This is a benefit for some in the mobile commerce sector as they do not need to design services that are designed solely for smartphones.
Mobile commerce may cater to tablet users in the future
Adobe research shows that consumers are more likely to spend more time on a website using their tablet than a smartphone. Smartphones are favored for short, quick visits to websites, whereas tablets are more accommodating to those that enjoy a longer experience. Mobile commerce may be moving into a realm where tablets are winning out over smartphones. Adobe expects that mobile commerce among tablets will continue to grow in the coming years.
Report highlights the marketing potential of mobile games
Mobile games are beloved by many due to the entertainment they can provide. They may have largely untapped marketing potential, however, according to a new report from ForeSights, a leading market research firm. The report highlights mobile games as marketing tools, suggesting that they can be used to promote products and services to a wide range of consumers. Consumers have shown that they are willing to participate in marketing that they find in mobile games, which has turned many of these games into effective marketing tools for those that know how to appeal to gamers.
Report identifies trends in mobile gaming
The report from ForeSights touches upon new opportunities emerging in mobile marketing, focusing on trends that are bringing marketing more in line with mobile gaming. These trends include willingness among consumers in engaging mobile advertisements that offer an interactive experience, rather than just directing them to a product website. Gamification of mobile advertisements has proven popular among consumers, especially those that have a strong love for mobile games.
Challenges exist that could make marketing difficult
There are some challenges in using mobile games as a marketing tool. A large portion of mobile gamers are young, between the ages of 12 and 17. Many of these people make use of their parent’s mobile devices in order to play mobile games. In recent years, collecting data from these consumers have become very controversial and it is becoming more common for young consumers to “mis-click” advertisements, constituting their unwilling participating in a marketing campaign. This can be particularly problematic if advertisements link directly to an e-commerce site, where it is easy to purchase products without actually intending to do so.
Developers show willingness to cater to advertisers
In-game advertisements are the primary way for developers of mobile games to generate revenue. Many developers design their games specifically with the concept of advertising in mind, but many of these games see little interest from advertisers that could see major benefits from engaging gamers. Mobile games have the ability to capture the attention of consumers and keep them focused on participating in gaming elements, if advertisers can find a way to do the same, mobile games may become the next major marketing tool.
