Over the last few months I've shared a variety of market study summaries that highlight the now rapid adoption of new smartphones, within the U.S. marketplace in particular. This transition is much more pervasive, and global, than you may have imagined.
The European EU-5 marketplace is no exception. eMarketer now forecasts that the number of mobile web users in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain to double between 2010 and 2015.
More than 58 million residents of the EU-5 will use the mobile internet at least monthly, according to eMarketer estimates for 2011. But that will still represent less than a quarter of the population.
"Greater use of browsers and apps, in addition to the already widespread use of text messaging, mean enhanced opportunities for marketers to engage customers at every stage of the purchase process, from building awareness all the way through to after-sales service and customer relationship management," said eMarketer principal analyst Noah Elkin.
Contrary to the popular belief, Europeans are apparently already receptive to mobile marketing efforts, according to eMarketer's recent assessment.
"The willingness of consumers in Europe to interact with brands on their mobile phones -- and their growing appetite for perks such as coupons and special offer alerts -- have jump-started a new phase in mobile marketing," said Elkin.
More companies are moving from direct response campaigns to efforts aimed at driving awareness and ongoing customer engagement. Loyalty efforts are likewise becoming more sophisticated, and marketers are placing emphasis on permission-based practices.
The combined efforts are dovetailed with well-established practices of opt-in mobile marketing in the region.
These, along with other factors, will contribute to major increases in mobile advertising spending in Europe. Mobile ad network aggregator Smaato and research firm mobileSQUARED now predict a tenfold growth rate between 2010 and 2015.
"Successful mobile marketing demands a comprehensive approach," said Elkin. "Leading European marketers understand that mobile is central to the ways customers interact with them. Consequently, they know that mobile is central to the health of their brands."