The world (and mobile marketing) has moved on from the Covid pandemic. During that time, the world transitioned in many different ways, such as a dramatic shift to remote work for many businesses, along with a focus on e-commerce shopping. Additionally, in many ways, COVID-19 accelerated a number of technology trends, including the use of mobile devices. While some of these pandemic trends have not held, the shift towards mobile remains very strong.
In this post, we’ve rounded up 50 insightful mobile marketing statistics that represent some of the most recent and interesting dynamics that are impacting the online marketplace. Growth in mobile continues to accelerate and represents a tremendous opportunity for businesses and marketers to reach new customers. We hope you find the data as interesting and insightful as we have. The stats below cover six different aspects of mobile device usage and are organized by the following categories:
- Mobile Advertising Stats
- Mobile Usage Stats
- Mobile Search Stats
- Mobile eCommerce Stats
- Mobile Video Stats
- Mobile Social Stats
- General Mobile Marketing Stats
Mobile Advertising Stats
1. By 2022, mobile advertising will account for over 50 percent of ad spending and overtake desktop advertising (and continue to grow). We are very close to the point where mobile advertising spending will overtake traditional desktop and web-based outlets. While very much a sign of the times, this also represents a dramatic shift in consumer behavior. Mobile devices are quickly becoming the major means of communication and content consumption for individuals and families worldwide.
2. 59% of mobile users report being as comfortable with mobile advertising as they are with other outlets such as TV. Mobile devices and smartphones have become so common that users have quickly gotten comfortable with their many features. This includes accessing a mobile web browser and other dedicated apps. As a result, people have also gotten used to seeing advertisements displayed in a mobile environment, which should increase engagement over time.
3. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Google ad conversions have fallen as much as 30% in the evening hours during times of increased coronavirus search activity. It makes sense that a person will be less likely to engage with an ad during times of stress. When we have other things on our mind we are usually online to look up something specific and not as likely to give in to tempting distractions. The COVID-19 pandemic has provided a fascinating set of data that shows how a dramatic decrease in ad conversions is possible during such a major, disruptive event.
4. Marketers and advertisers put 51% of their budget into mobile ads. This stat makes it clear that we have now passed a point where mobile advertising is becoming more important than many other forms of marketing. With the ability to target highly specific audience groups and manage ad campaigns across multiple platforms, mobile advertising is a convenient way to reach customers. As ad delivery methods on mobile continue to evolve, we may continue to see greater returns on investment over time from these activities.
5. 87% of Facebook’s advertising revenue, $9.16 billion, comes from mobile. A clear indication of the shift to mobile, Facebook’s mobile advertising revenue eclipses its other ad revenue streams. Mobile access continues to be the primary method by which many individuals access their social media feeds. For the time being, it certainly looks like this trend will continue and create further growth opportunities for advertisers and platforms in the mobile marketing space.
6. The use of shorter mobile video ads (up to 6 seconds) is now considered as effective as longer clips. Many advertisers are looking to video content as a new and engaging way to promote their products and services. Now that mobile users are getting used to scrolling through massive amounts of content, they are also tolerant of shorter video clips and messages. This is a great opportunity for advertisers since a short clip is usually much easier to create than a longer ad or commercial.
7. Mobile devices account for 53% of all paid-search clicks. Paid search engine advertisements have become extremely competitive in some cases, forcing marketers to find new ways to improve their return on investment. By developing a more targeted approach to their mobile advertising, it may be possible to take advantage of the higher click-through rates seen with mobile devices. Developing a deep understanding of these consumer behaviors can certainly lead to a competitive advantage.
Mobile Usage Stats
8. As of recent estimates, over 5.22 billion people (66.6% of the global population) use a mobile device. Mobile devices have become a major part of everyday life for individuals throughout the world. This metric shows that two-thirds of the entire world’s population now possess mobile devices. Given the high level of adoption and growth in many parts of the world, it is clear that these devices will continue to be important communication tools for many years to come.
9. The average American uses their phone for 5.4 hours each day. Given that people pick up their phones multiple times throughout the day, it can be difficult to realize just how much time we spend looking at those screens. With the average American using their phone for over 5 hours each day, this is a significant amount of time dedicated to talking, browsing the internet, or accessing apps. Many people also use their devices to keep track of many important aspects of their lives including finances, social networks, and health records.
10. 40% of American adults report giving their child a cell phone by the age of 10. These days, kids have access to mobile devices from an early age and use them to watch videos and play games. Growing up surrounded by technology enables them to quickly become comfortable with innovative tech advancements. This, in turn, has led many children to also become connected socially through their devices, and an increasing number are receiving cell phones at an early age to keep in touch with family and friends.
11. Mobile data traffic is expected to increase 25% from current levels by 2025. Mobile data usage is continuing to increase as more people use cell phones and new forms of media become more widespread. The adoption of high-quality video streaming platforms by many individuals and families has also drastically increased data usage. This trend is expected to continue for many years and will require internet providers and cell phone companies to optimize their data networks.
12. 94% of participants in a Facebook study held their smartphones while watching television. This statistic is interesting because it shows that nearly all smartphone users are accessing their smartphones while watching television. Our attention spans have become increasingly strained, and the average person often finds themselves compelled to constantly look up information or respond to smartphone notifications. Having a constant connection to the outside world has many benefits, but it can also consume large portions of our days.
13. 80% of B2B buyers are using a mobile device to make purchases. The development of mobile applications over the last several years has drastically improved usability and available features. Many companies have taken advantage of the technology to release custom-branded apps that act as dedicated e-commerce portals. The vast majority of mobile users now utilize their devices to make purchases using apps or a web browser.
14. 75% of Americas admit to bringing their mobile phone into the bathroom. This statistic makes it clear just how connected we are to our phones. For many people, this means that there is very little downtime during the day when they are not looking at a device or using a computer screen or television. Many people bring their devices into the bathroom to browse the internet and access apps instead of simply putting them down.
15. The amount of mobile data traffic is expected to grow by 700% between 2016 and 2021. The previous mobile data statistic above shows that moderate growth will continue for the next 5 years, but a massive period of major growth is nearly behind us. Since 2016, mobile data growth has increased by nearly 7 times as the result of major improvements in mobile data speeds and the creation of new high-quality video, image, and music content. In the last couple of years, there have been particularly noticeable improvements in video quality for streaming and video chat applications.
16. Mobile usage accounts for roughly half of an average person’s daily internet time. We access the internet multiple times a day as we search for new information across a number of different sites. Given the convenience, people use their mobile phones to access the internet roughly half the time. Since we spend a large amount of this time searching and browsing feeds, this is an opportunity for marketers who are utilizing mobile-friendly ads.
17. 21% of millennials report accessing mobile apps at least 50 times per day. The younger members of the population are embracing technology at an unprecedented pace. Data shows that nearly a quarter of millennials check applications on their device over 50 times per day. This makes it clear that for some mobile device users, their smartphone is the primary way that they manage their social and personal lives.
Mobile Search Stats
18. 93% of consumers use internet resources to find local businesses. The internet has replaced printed reference materials such as phone books and the Yellow Pages. With easy access to the internet, most consumers these days perform a search when they are looking for a local business to visit. One of the most popular search categories is restaurants, which is especially useful when visiting a new area and looking for a particular type of food or atmosphere.
19. 9 out of 10 smartphone users have not yet chosen a particular brand when they perform an internet search for a product or service. With so many options available, many shoppers are open to considering new brands when browsing online. In fact, 90% of smartphone users report that they have not selected a particular brand whenever they perform a search for a new product or service. This presents a great opportunity for new companies who may be able to increase sales by improving their visibility and search rankings.
20. 211 million users performed internet searches on mobile devices in recent years. This number clearly shows just how many individuals use their mobile devices to perform searches. Each person represents a unique consumer who may be interested in a number of different products or services. This large number of active users is one of the primary reasons why mobile marketing and engagement have become such high priorities for businesses and brands of all types.
21. 60% of Google searches are performed from mobile devices, nearly double the volume from five years ago. More and more people are using their smartphones and mobile devices to perform internet searches. This is clear when looking at the data which shows that 60% of Google searches are now performed from a mobile device. The volume of mobile searches has increased significantly in the last few years and will certainly continue as we see wider adoption of mobile solutions across the world.
22. 27% of global mobile device owners report using voice search. Voice search is a relatively new feature of many smartphones, one that is starting to grow in popularity. Over a quarter of mobile users globally report using voice search on a regular basis instead of typing on their device. New accessories, such as wireless headphones, also make voice search incredibly convenient and eliminate the need to pick up the device at all. We can now get an immediate response simply by speaking.
23. The likelihood of a local search resulting in an in-store visit increases by 35% when performed from a mobile device. Many mobile users who perform a local search are looking for a place to visit that very same day or in the near future. This makes it especially important that businesses prioritize local SEO and find ways to remain competitive in search results performed within their area. Many consumers who perform internet searches also consult reviews for local businesses before visiting to make more informed purchasing decisions.
24. Google accounts for 96% of all mobile search traffic. Google is a dominant search engine and has become the primary resource for mobile searches. With nearly 96% of all mobile search traffic, Google is far ahead of the next two competitors, Yahoo and Bing. Any business that includes mobile search as part of its marketing strategy must certainly focus on Google as the primary search platform for ads and SEO.
25. By the year 2022, 69% of search ad growth will be from mobile (which will grow over time). Ads play an important role in any online marketing campaign as a convenient way to reach a significant number of potential customers. In only 1 or 2 years, the vast majority of ad spend will likely be focused on mobile platforms. This growth represents the high levels of engagement and desirable ROI that are possible when promoting products and services to mobile users.
Mobile eCommerce Stats
26. 80% of shoppers have used a mobile device while shopping inside a physical store to look up product information. Today’s generation of consumers is among the most informed in history. With instant access to product information through their phones, it is easy to look up prices and other data even when shopping inside a physical store. Shoppers may find a much better price elsewhere or choose to order online and have the product shipped directly to their home.
27. 59% of shoppers prefer to frequent stores that offer a mobile shopping experience. When companies offer a mobile shopping experience in addition to physical stores, it can add a lot of value for customers. Some of the key features included in mobile shopping apps are the ability to save a shopping cart, ship products to a home or local store, and access mobile-only coupons. For these reasons, more than half of consumers prefer stores that offer a mobile experience over those that do not.
28. 90% of buyers report that an excellent mobile experience is likely to convince them to make a repeat purchase from the same company. Consumers today expect a convenient process when making a purchase. A few examples of these expectations include fast shipping, easy returns, and an accessible mobile app or mobile-friendly website. This allows buyers to check the status of their orders and easily find product and support information. An excellent mobile experience is also likely to convince up to 90% of buyers to return for another purchase.
29. 79% of smartphone users report having made a purchase online with their device within the last 6 months. Many mobile users have become accustomed to placing online orders directly from their devices. Data shows that nearly 80% of smartphone users have made a mobile purchase in the last 6 months and are therefore likely to do so again in the future. This is an important time for all companies to review their mobile offerings and ensure that they are convenient to use and easy to access.
30. Recent metrics show that 55% of all online visits to websites from major consumer verticals were from smartphones. With more than half of all visits to major consumer websites coming from mobile, it is clear that most shoppers prefer to access the internet from their devices. This also means that having a mobile-friendly website is a necessity if you wish to engage with these potential customers. Given the high growth in mobile users that is projected over the next several years, this is also a great chance to capture additional opportunities for new business and market share growth.
31. 88% of smartphone users report increasing their use of mobile coupons over the last 3 years. Businesses continue to look for new ways to increase online sales while also bringing on new customers. As a result, the use of online coupons has become a reliable way to share various discounts with consumers. Nearly 90% of smartphone users have used digital coupons on their mobile devices within the last few years, a statistic that highlights just how popular they have become.
Mobile Video Stats
32. 74% of seniors report using video calls to keep in touch with others. Data speeds have improved to a level that makes high-quality video calls a reality. For seniors, video calls have been a very convenient way to keep in touch with friends and family, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since video calls can be made in the same manner as voice calls, people can be easily reached on their mobile devices. This has made video calls a standard option for individual calls and for group meetings.
33. There are expected to be 205 million smartphone video viewers in the US by 2022. As more people enter the market for a smartphone, this will also lead to an increase in mobile video viewers. With convenient access to video content through the internet or dedicated apps such as YouTube, it is now easier than ever to view videos from a mobile device. Such a large number of viewers also increases the potential audience size for anyone publishing video content or running video ads.
34. 71% of teenagers watch an average of over 3 hours of videos online daily. Video content has become incredibly popular among teenagers, who view over three hours of video from their mobile devices each day. That is a significant amount of time, and this has clearly become a preferred form of content when compared to text or images. Many apps and websites that offer video content also have an autoplay feature that can keep a viewer engaged with relevant content for long periods of time.
35. For the foreseeable future, video consumption on mobile devices is expected to double each year. High-quality streaming video has really hit the mainstream, with consumption on mobile devices expected to double each year for the foreseeable future. As mobile carriers and wireless internet providers continue to increase data bandwidth, this will only continue to support this growth. Many businesses are also starting to utilize more video content for their websites and other marketing materials that are targeted at mobile users.
36. Over 1 billion hours of video content are viewed on YouTube every day. YouTube has become one of the most popular video content platforms in the entire world and hosts millions of individual videos. With over a billion hours of video content being consumed every day, YouTube has also become an important communication channel for influencers and brands alike. With a powerful search feature and a constant stream of recommended content, YouTube will certainly be an important video resource for many years to come.
37. Using video content for marketing campaigns can grow revenue 49% faster than non-video campaigns. Using video content in marketing campaigns is an effective way for brands to communicate a lot of information in a short amount of time. With audio and visual information, videos are engaging and are quickly becoming a preferred tool for marketers across all industries. It is clear why this is the case when you look at the data that shows marketing with video can grow revenue up to 50% faster than other means.
38. In the US, the average mobile phone user watches 323 minutes of video content per week. Knowing that the average mobile user watches over 5 hours of video content per week, it is clear that there is a massive opportunity for this form of content consumption. Videos are now routinely running on mobile ads and websites, and viewers have become accustomed to seeing them alongside images and other content. This makes video a great option for reaching mobile users who are watching significant amounts of video content each week.
39. More than 70% of the watch time on YouTube comes from mobile devices. As we mentioned previously, YouTube has become one of the most popular sources of video content for people throughout the world. The fact that over 70% of YouTube video content is accessed through mobile devices shows how convenient streaming video has become. YouTube videos can also be embedded in websites and easily shared among social media, further increasing the number of views from smartphones.
40. 92% of mobile users who view video content will share it with others. This is an important statistic because it shows the close connection between content and social sharing. With over 90% of mobile users actively sharing video content with others, it is possible to get a very wide reach from a single clip that goes viral. Sharing among other users also helps brands and advertisers spread their messages with particular calls to action that can help increase engagement.
Mobile Social Stats
41. 90.7% of mobile users are active on social media platforms. It should be no surprise that accessing social media is a popular activity on mobile devices. The important takeaway is that the vast majority of mobile device users can be accessed via social media channels. This is an important consideration for brands and marketing professionals as they develop their ad campaigns and define target customers.
42. Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp are two of the most popular mobile apps worldwide. Messaging on mobile devices has moved far beyond simple text messages and also spread to several new platforms. With Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp as the two dominant messaging platforms, there may be an opportunity to learn more about the behaviors of mobile users. For example, as users migrate to a new messaging platform, they are likely to take existing friends and family with them.
43. Of the 4 billion active users on social media, 99% of them access websites through their mobile device. Users who access social media on their devices are also likely to perform searches there. It is much easier to stay on a single device to look up something instead of switching to a computer. This is also true because savvy social media users are also likely to be very comfortable performing voice, web, and app searches on a mobile device.
44. Social networks account for greater than 12.74% of all mobile data traffic. While this statistic still represents a small portion of overall mobile data traffic, it is still notable for a number of reasons. It highlights the incredible growth of social networks in a short amount of time and also the large amount of media and other content that is shared on these platforms. As we continue to see improvements in mobile data speeds and video technology, it is also likely that social networks will continue to require larger amounts of data.
45. Pinterest is the most active social media network on mobile, with 64% of traffic coming from mobile devices. it can be easy to overlook Pinterest with all the attention that other platforms such as Facebook and Instagram receive. Yet, with the large number of users who are active on Pinterest using mobile devices, it is an excellent channel for sharing mobile-friendly content. Pinterest also has excellent sharing and saving features that make it a great network of highly visual material.
General Mobile Marketing Stats
46. Websites that are mobile-optimized get 15% more unique clicks. Click-through rates are an important metric to monitor when measuring the effectiveness of a website. This data allows you to optimize different elements of a site to maximize the number of clicks that each page, button, or link receives. This stat is a clear indication that developing a mobile-optimized website is a must to increase engagement with your content.
47. Website conversion rates drop by an average of 4.42% with each additional second of load time (between seconds 0-5). With an endless amount of information on the internet, people have grown accustomed to having quick access to content. If a website does not load at a very quick rate, visitors are likely to abandon the page and look for another source. It is therefore very important to monitor the performance of your website to ensure that pages are optimized for rapid load times.
48. 80% of the top-ranked websites online are mobile-friendly. Depending on how you look at it, this statistic can either be surprisingly high or low. With 20% of leading websites still not optimized for mobile devices, this represents a massive missed opportunity for additional traffic. In addition, the projected growth of mobile users over the next several years will only continue to put pressure on website owners to make mobile-friendly improvements.
49. Global mobile app revenue is expected to exceed $925 billion. Without a doubt, mobile applications are a major source of revenue growth across industries worldwide. These apps provide direct access to consumers through their devices with a number of potential revenue streams. Many companies are also choosing to release a custom branded app to expand their existing sales channels to mobile.
