The Mintel digital Trends Spring 2014 Report has now been published and it’s a great read with information about trends in consumer technology and digital media in the UK.
Lee Walker who is an Account Director at Mintel has highlighted 10 key points from the report which I think you will agree makes interesting reading and a great reference point to see how the digital landscape changes yet again in the next 12 months.
CONSUMER TECH
1. People are now almost twice as likely to own a smartphone as a basic mobile, 70% vs 37%, as gradually consumers upgrade to newer and more advanced handsets. The launch of low-cost smartphones will help to convert the remaining few basic, or feature phone owners over the coming year.
2. Internet-enabled TVs continue to gather momentum, with almost a quarter, 24% of homes now having access to at least one smart TV as of Dec 2013, up from 20% three months before.
3. Consumers now are more than twice as likely to have access to a tablet computer as they were at the start of 2012, with the device now present in 44% of homes.
INTERNET ACCESS
4. Twice as many people are now connecting to the internet via smart TVs than at the start of 2013, as the popularity of TV on-demand starts to be realised on the television itself.
ONLINE ACTIVITIES
5. Despite the fact that smartphones are generally increasing in screen size, the majority are only willing to use these for short activities, as they favour bigger screens for longer tasks such as reading news and shopping online.
6. Facebook has bought instant messaging service WhatsApp for £11.4 billion, as it looks to boost regular usage from younger consumers, some of whom have started to prefer legacy-free services (that do not store long trail of activity online).
DIGITAL ADVERTISING
7. The vast majority, 87% of internet users can recall seeing digital adverts in the past three months, whilst almost half, 48% of people who have noticed ads have gone on to click on at least one of these.
8. People who shop via mobiles and tablets are more likely to be in favour of personalised advertising, implying that ads based on users’ current location could meet their openness to targeted ads.
ONLINE AND MOBILE PURCHASING
9. Whilst almost three quarters, 70% of consumers now own a smartphone, smartphone shopping is yet to become mainstream, with only half of this group having made a purchase during the past 12 months.
10. Concerns about screen size and security are still major barriers for mobile users, who prefer to switch to computers when coming to buy items. Smartphone shopping doesn’t need to be all about transactions, as brands can take advantage of recent technological advancements such as Apple’s iBeacon software in order to target users with relevant real-time messaging.
All of these digital trends firmly support what we are constantly telling our clients and the need to ensure your website is responsive and accessible across all devices. For more information about how you can strengthen your online presence, don’t hesitate to contact us on 01670 785 786
