Email Marketing Finds New Dimensions in Mobile Web Use

7 December 2011 – Email marketing, a staple tactic-slash-tool in any Internet or affiliate marketer’s arsenal, is finding new venues and opportunities for growth as mobile device Web usage continues to increase.

Teenagers, young adults, and professionals in the US have one thing in common: an affinity for smartphones. These smartphones account for a hefty portion of overall Web access using mobile or handheld devices. Add statistics from other trendy gadgets like tablet computers and PDAs, and you get a population of online users that is beginning to rival old fashioned Web browsing through PCs and laptops.

Over 60% of people who access the Internet via their mobile devices do so for emailing and connectivity applications. Of course, the shift to mobile social media use is slowly being felt, but at the same time, more consumers are finding it easier and more convenient to access their Web-based emails through handhelds. What this means for marketers and affiliates is that they have a new avenue for growing their business, and the vehicle of choice appears to be email marketing.

Tapping into more than half the users of mobile Web access is a big thing. To put things in perspective, in just the last two months of this year, online consumer spending is expected to reach $30 billion, and most of the last minute shopping and research will be conducted through mobile devices. It might feel like becoming part of a part of a bigger thing, but in reality, even if the actual market is just 1% of that $30 billion, that’s still $300 million.

Email marketing through mobile devices is not much different from existing email marketing today, with the main difference being in the approach. Different mobile devices have different browsers and different screen sizes. The format of the browsers and the amount of marketing real estate are primary considerations for any mobile email marketing campaign. Of course, classic campaigns using email marketing to promote your affiliate product are still very much recommended, but with today’s growing mobile market, it would be best if you scale your email marketing campaign down to handheld sizes.