2014 - it's all about MOBILE FIRST - or is it?

I was asked if I had Nomophobia this morning says Lynda Nicolson, Marketing Manager of Encompass.   

‘Nomophobia? Don’t think so, no, not me’, I said, shaking my head, even though I don’t actually know what it is.

Nomophobia.

The fear of losing mobile signal, running out of battery or losing sight of your phone.

Oh yes, I do have that.  Anyone else?  I know a few of the Encompass team members do.

Alienation Digital held a really useful business breakfast this week in Glasgow.  It’s all about Mobile this year you know, and after seeing some of the figures they presented, I see mobile devices will change the way we do business.  Thanks to David Johnstone @alienation for the figures.  

Have a look at some of our behaviours:

• The average consumer checks their phone 34 times a day.   I’m guilty of this, are you?
• Consumers pick up their phones ‘when they have time to kill’.  Guilty again.
• Consumers pick up their phones as soon as they hear a notification.  Guilty.
• 91% of adults have their phone at arms length 24/7.    And guilty.

And have a look at the facts and figures:

• 91% of the world’s population own a mobile.  56% of these own a smartphone.  
•       In 2013, SALES made via mobiles more than doubled to an incredible £8.2billion – this is
        18% of the total UK e-commerce sales.

And the scary stuff:

• South Korea is now investing in a 5G network. So by 2020 we’ll be downloading a full
        length movie on a mobile in 1 second. Read more here.
• “Teenagers would rather lose their pinkie than their phone”. 
        What?  See Huffington Post article for more on that. 

So the facts are all there, but does that mean we all have to spend money urgently so that our websites are optimised for mobile?
   
“Not always”, says David Johnstone of Alienation Digital, “As with any digital project, start with the behaviour and needs of your users.  Always put users’ needs first and also explore where your sales or enquiries come from.  If you are in the business-to-business sector and all communication is office-to-office, there’s no huge need for a mobile platform, instead ensure that the users get the best desktop experience to suit their needs.  Once you have your user goals and content in place, then you can decide whether you need a mobile platform.”

So there we have it.  2014 is all about mobile, but like all new technology and social media opportunities, only if your customers drive it. 

Alienation's advice: “Think USER-first rather than Mobile-first".

Lynda Nicolson
Encompass Marketing & Online Community Manager
@lynda_encompass

Encompass is a partnership of the Universities of Glasgow, Strathclyde, Aberdeen and Stirling.