Aren’t you tired of hearing “The internet is changing our world” or “We live in the age of the Internet Of Things?” You can thank Smartphones for turning those once-refreshing phrases into trite cliché.

Digital marketers can also thank Smartphones for making their campaigns (and content) more accessible, more consumer-specific, and ultimately allow them to zero in on the people they need as lifetime customers. Because the game is changing.

Let’s face it, though. People hate ads. Nobody likes the idea of being sold to. So, when TheDrum reported that “the rules of video advertising are set to change,” you can bet mobile advertising will be responsible for that. Here are just a “few” reasons why smartphones have (and will continue to) change the marketing industry.

Mobile-Friendly

With over 77% of Americans owning a smartphone, if your website (or your client’s) isn’t mobile-friendly, it may as well be dead. By mobile-friendly, your site must load quickly (as fast as it does on a PC) and efficiently run. Not doing this extra bit of (admittedly difficult) work and you can bet not as many people will pay attention to your ads, campaigns or business.

Compare Immediately

As consumers (which we all are), we like to compare prices before purchasing any set product. Smartphones “pull up” an endless stream of reviews, information, prices and feedback from real people – all at once. What this means for you is: your customers’ good experiences reach more people, equalling more traffic for you. So if your products and/or services put you in a favorable light, more people will be able to find you – faster.

TheKnowledgeEngineers reported that 84% of mobile shoppers use their smartphones – as they’re shopping in the store itself. (Which could make price-hunting for Galaxy S8 Cases a whole lot easier.) Their data also claimed that people who spend longer times on their devices end up spending more money.

Target (The Right) Market

In the old age of dinosaur marketing, copywriters and marketers tailoured their ads and campaigns as best they could to fit their market. Sad thing is, not everyone in that market responded to the ads. The message fell on deaf ears – and sales could have been so much better.

It’s no surprise that advertisers “follow” consumers based on their internet habits. This is in the same vein Target “watched” consumers buying certain products, then sending those customers relevant flyers and coupons in the mail. Smartphones, however, in the hands of ethical companies, have let copywriters and advertisers craft ultra-specific ads for each individual customer – on a massive scale.

Video, Video, Video

It’s a proven fact that video sales letters outperform written sales letters. Webinars are increasingly profitable (when done right). Text-only videos (usually black and red text on a white background) surprisingly pull high conversion rates.

Plus, video ads and blog posts (you are writing content for your blog, right?) offer you a snappy chance for your “on the go” customers to easily digest your content and ads. Mike Templeman, writing for Forbes, said it best when he said mobile users are scanning and reading quickly. This fact alone has changed how we interact with those speed demons.

IoT

Naturally, the internet of things (IoT) impacts customer experience. However, savvy marketers can use the IoT to analyze how consumers use various connected devices and products. This infographic shows how users with various connected smart devices can turn marketers into “data scientists.” Not only that, but your valued customers will be able to immediately provide you feedback – as IoT devices show you where your customer is in the funnel/buying process.

Conclusion

It’s clear: traditional forms of media are dying – digital media is in. Think about the last time you bought something on Amazon instead of shopping in the other end of town. When was the last time you pulled out your Android or iPhone to watch Netflix, instead of a national channel on TV? Tablets and smartphones change the very way we interact with each other—and more importantly—how your customers interact with you.