Mobile marketing will continue to grow as a portion of digital marketing in 2016.

According to our research, 86.3% of American consumers have used their smartphones to access digital media. This makes mobile marketing a significant presence in the digital marketing world. And if you’re reading this, it’s probably no surprise that most of your audience is probably using smartphones, too.

Traditional desktop and laptop computer users are still heavily involved in online marketing, however. 47% of American consumers have used the internet to research products or find information about products they’re considering purchasing. This means that in 2016, traditional desktop and laptop computer users will still be the primary audience for many websites.

Despite the growing popularity of mobile marketing, more and more businesses are realizing the need for traditional marketing efforts. In our research, we found that 33.3% of American consumers prefer to get information about products via traditional means (e.., printed material, billboards, and radio commercials).

This trend will most likely continue in 2016 because many consumers have grown accustomed to using all of the resources available to them in order to learn about products. The increasing popularity of podcasts and online audio resources means that in the future, more people will learn about products via audio than text alone. As a result, marketers should not completely eliminate the use of text in their print and digital materials.

What Does This Mean For Marketers?

These statistics mean that marketers should not only consider mobile marketing when creating digital marketing strategies but should also take into account the importance of traditional marketing methods as well.

For example, let’s say you’re a sportswear brand. You’ve decided to use digital marketing to gain more traction in the marketplace. You’ve launched a website and you’ve started a Twitter account. Now, you’ll want to take into account the significant role that print media can play in marketing your products. You might want to consider creating a printed brochure that accompanies the digital marketing content you’re curating on your website.

Even if your sportswear brand does almost all of the marketing on your website and app (which is becoming more and more common), you’ll still want to use traditional methods to reach consumers who are more comfortable using those methods. For instance, you could run radio advertisements, place billboards around the city, or display ads in popular magazines.

This way, you can ensure that your product is in front of as many people as possible while also using digital marketing to grow your audience and gain more supporters.

Why Is Mobile Marketing So Popular?

The increase in smartphone usage and the decreasing cost of digital marketing make mobile marketing a popular choice for businesses. Additionally, there has been a rise in the use of mobile coupons and discounts through text messaging.

According to HubSpot Blogs research, 68% of consumers have used text messaging to learn about products or to get discounts. If your product is available for purchase or use via mobile coupons, you can reach a large audience and encourage them to engage with your brand.

Additionally, 71.5% of consumers have used social media to learn about products, while 67% have used search engines to research products.

These marketing methods are still popular because people are used to searching for information quickly and easily. Thanks to tools like Google Now and Google Assistant, it’s very easy for searchers to get the information they need without leaving the search page or app.

This has made mobile search and mobile reviews significantly more valuable to businesses. If you’re not showing up in mobile search or on mobile review sites, you’re potentially losing out on a large audience who could be learning more about your product.

What’s Next For Mobile Marketing?

Besides mobile search and mobile reviews, our research also indicated that consumers are using popular mobile apps to research products. In 2016, people will have an increasingly large appetite for information, especially as more and more businesses apply for app store listings.

If you’re not present in these spaces, you’re potentially missing out on a large audience. Fortunately, it’s relatively easy to get your product in these places as long as you have a team of people working on mobile marketing (e.g., a digital marketer, a social media strategist, and a content strategist). Additionally, you could consider using a tool like Google Analytics to track the success of your app listing efforts.

The key takeaway from this blog post is that businesses should not underestimate the importance of traditional marketing methods. In our research, we found that 47% of American consumers prefer to get information about products via traditional means (e.g., printed material, billboards, and radio commercials).

If your product is not available for purchase or use via these traditional methods, you’re losing out on a potentially significant audience. In terms of gaining more supporters, mobile marketing is a great option for businesses because it’s often less expensive and more effective. So, while mobile marketing will likely increase in importance in the coming years, traditional marketing methods will still be relevant in the grand scheme of things.