Research group Nielsen is offering some interesting statistics on smartphone penetration in Germany in the context of defining an integrated mobile strategy for big brands.
It states that almost two thirds (63%) of device sales in the country are now smartphones, and that penetration of the products now stands at 30% compared to 36% in Russia, 40% in the US and 45% in the UK. German smartphone user’s bills are typically one-and-a-half times higher than consumers using feature phones, with 83% of smartphone users on post-pay contracts.
Perhaps more importantly, 56% of German smartphone owners react to mobile advertising, with a fifth of those going on to purchase items. That click-through rate may be aided by a high number of consumers using their smartphone to access the Web at home (58%), leading Nielsen to conclude that mobile is evolving from a means of discovering content to a purchase mechanism.
Nielsen spokesman David Gosen says the figures show that mobile phones are now bridging the gap between the connected and offline worlds. “Mobile is empowering consumers to interact with stores, brands, friends and family in a way they never have done so before,” he comments.
The firm says that localization should be a key element in any major brand’s mobile strategy, noting that consumer’s purchasing decisions are increasingly led by local alerts. It also notes that adding a Facebook page alone is not enough to cover social media strategy, noting that firms must also offer engaging content and communicate regularly with their customers.