According to a new study from industry insider eMarketer, U.S. consumers’ time spent watching television will actually decrease by the end of 2013
– while time spent on digital media will have grown by 15.8% since the previous year. And based on this fairly seismic shift in viewing and interactive media habits, American consumers’ time spent with digital media will actually surpass and exceed their total TV viewing time in 2013.
This, of course, will be a first in American history.
And as digital dominance continues to expand and grow all across America, mobile devices will play an increasingly important role in digital’s enhanced influence in consumers’ day-to-day lives.
In fact, another eMarketer report shows that as mobile becomes more and more of a staple in many Americans’ lives and daily habits, time spent on their many mobile devices (primarily smartphones and tablets) continues to cut into desktop and laptop computers’ share of online time. So much so that mobile is set to dethrone desktop usage – which would be yet another first in American media history.
New estimates from eMarketer predict that in 2013, U.S. consumers will spend 19.8% of their media time on “non-voice” mobile activities – as opposed to 19.5% of that media time accessing the internet via laptops and PCs.
This sea change in American consumers’ media habits also explains the always-intelligent and forward-thinking Google’s decision to favor mobile devices and tablets with Google Enhanced Campaigns.
Here at the official blog of Amplitude Digital, we’ve spent some time, energy and space extolling the undying and far-reaching value of TV, America’s tried-and-true, far-reaching and favorite medium for the past several decades now. And we’re not going back on our word or changing our tact here. We still agree with our friends Daft Punk. Television rules the nation.
In fact, this pair of studies from eMarketer only underscores what we’ve been saying all along – while television is great and unique and powerful…in 2013, it is merely not enough in and of itself. Not even close. Not if you want to really make your brand and business seen and heard and felt and known and remembered.
In other words, while television still rules the nation…digital media is sitting side saddle, right there up on the throne. And increasingly enticing people with an array of cool apps. And its sleek, slim pocket-sized portability.
Think of the idea media mix for today’s ever-shifting, often-confusing landscape as a perfect, brilliant blend, marriage and merging of Old and New Media. Something that Daft Punk certainly understands as well as anybody out there today. Something that the best and brightest brands are increasingly getting in tune with too. And something that we here at Amplitude Digital – and our valued partners at Always On Communications – have been advising and prescribing to our clients for awhile now.
And it’s not enough to just shift your primary focus to digital media and digital marketing efforts as we rapidly approach 2014. No, not with the PC and even many laptops heading in the dubious direction of the increasingly endangered computer mouse.
What IS needed is a strong presence not just in the digital realm – but a concentrated, focused, streamlined digital marketing and advertising presence that is also optimized for and tailored to mobile devices. Another fascinating recent study, this one by Adobe, revealed that a staggering 45% – or nearly HALF – of all U.S. companies still don’t have a mobile-optimized site or app. Before long, companies that continue to live on the wrong side of that equation will start paying more and more of a punitive price in today’s mobile marketplace.
What about YOU and your business? Are you ready to take the next step into the increasingly digital – and upwardly and outwardly mobile – marketplace that now defines and redefines much of life in modern America?
If you are, go ahead and reach out to us. We will gladly take the time to show you around this brave new world.
