Zenith’s 2017 study Mobile Advertising Forecasts plots the rise to preeminence of mobile devices and implores a mobile first strategy
Words Rome Jorge
By the end of 2017, 75% of internet use will be through smartphones and tablets and those browsing through desktops will be a minority.
By 2018, mobile devices will account for 79% of internet use. Globally only 17% percent of consumers will own tablets, while 63% will have smartphones. By 2018, 60% of internet advertising will be mobile and is projected to total US$134 billion—exceeding the combined expenditure for print, cinema and outdoor advertising.
This according to the undated Mobile Advertising Forecasts study for 2017 by Zenith, a wholly owned media brand of French ad agency Publicis Groupe SA and the third-largest marketing services company globally. The study was conducted throughout 60 countries. According to the study, by 2018 mobile Internet use will be topped by Hong Kong at 89%, with China second with 87%, Spain third with 86%, United States and Italy tied at fourth with 83%, and India fifth at 82%.
By 2018 smartphone penetration will continue to be topped by Ireland with 94%, Switzerland and Singapore tied at second with at 92%, Norway and Taiwan tied at third with 91%.
The consequences of these trends are several:
Precious little space
Apps and sites need to be optimized for the precious little real estate available for content, user interface, and creativity on smartphones. Agencies and brands must adopt mobile first strategies as these devices will be the primary conduits through which consumers will experience the Internet.
Content context
Brands and agencies must also be cognizant of the mobile lifestyle of their consumers, and anticipate the changing locations and context of how consumers experience content: immersed in traffic or in trains during rush hour commutes, discreetly stealing glances in the office, or sharing posts with the family at home. Contextual data provided by geolocation, time, weather, as well as user preference;browsing history will be all the more valuable.
Programmatics rule
Programmatic ad buying will become even more important even as the technology must hurdle technical challenges of providing accurate metrics. Mobile browsers reject cookies and apps circumventing browsers entirely. With ad placement being automated by programmatic, brands must be careful not to inadvertently have their ads enrich fake news or hate sites of be associated with propaganda or bigotry.
The right platform for the right brand
Advertisers also must consider the relevant devices in the mobile device ecosystem such as smart watches and sports trackers for fitness buffs and VR headsets for gamers. User experience must be anticipated, envisioned, and tested to prevent any disconnection. Armed with these insights, advertisers now know how stay one step ahead of consumers who are on the go with mobile devices.
Artwork Jill Arteche
