Do You Ever Unplug From Your Mobile?
It’s somewhere around 2 am when you’re suddenly awoken by something. It takes a few seconds for you to realise what it is: your mobile is buzzing, singing, beeping – whatever your notification sound is at the moment. Do you roll back over and go to sleep, or sit right up to see what the message is?
On those nights I forget to put my mobile in silent mode, I just roll over and keep sleeping. That is, unless a member of my family is out and may be contacting me in an emergency. But the fact is my mobile is right there, plugged into my nightstand (yes, I bought a nightstand that included built in plugs for my devices). It sits there in the top drawer while my iPad sits on top of my nightstand, conveniently running the Nightstand app. So even while I’m sleeping, my mobile technology is just a few inches away.
While it’s undeniable technology is a growing part of our everyday lives, it may be surprising how few of us ever turn it off. Or leave it behind. A 2014 study of Americans revealed that 43% never unplug from technology (mobiles, tablets, TVs, laptops, etc.). Another 17% only unplug a few times a year. Twenty percent say they unplug daily, but that large a percentage makes me wonder if they misunderstood the question. Perhaps they took it literally and said yes they unplug their devices everyday – like when you unplug your mobile to take it with you. We’ll never know I suppose.
This latest survey matches up well with previous studies in the UK that revealed many felt giving up technology was as hard as giving up cigarettes or caffeine. If you do a Google search for “unplug” you’re likely to find a slew of websites and social media movements aimed at getting people to turn off their technology, at least for a little while. I love the concept, but in practice it’s a very hard thing to do.
But there’s a good side to always being “plugged in” too. At least when it comes to mobiles. Never before could we be so in touch, so up-to-date, and informed. From our perspective, always having your mobile so close by makes it the perfect means to send timely or critical information via SMS messaging. For example, school closures, account balance information, reservation confirmations, delivery notifications, and emergency alerts of all kinds.
What do you think? Do you find a balance between “always on” and “unplugging”? Or are you as addicted to your mobile as I am? Is any thought you should unplug mobile devices going to fall on deaf ears?
Related Articles
12 Reasons Mobile Messaging is “A Beautiful Thing”
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But could text messaging really be considered beautiful? You might argue that it depends on the messages you get! That’s a valid approach, but I recently found a description of mobile messaging that made me believe it is indeed beautiful, so I thought I’d share it with you.
Consumers Prefer SMS Over Mobile Apps
Earlier this month I attended an online webinar session covering topics related to SMS. One of the presenters produced some interesting statistics. I wanted to know more, so I went to the original source and found some great news for everyone using SMS as a key part of their mobile strategy.
7 Statistics That Show Why You Should be Using SMS Marketing Right Now
You might have heard about SMS marketing and thought it wasn't for you. Maybe you're unconvinced by this method of reaching customers and are just not sure it could help your business thrive. But any business, big or small, can benefit from an online SMS service and the facts are plain to see.
Double Conversion Rates with SMS Marketing
According to Internet Retailer, data conversion rates for text messages are double that of email when the link goes to a mobile responsive landing page. Even with a small list, this can result in a huge increase in sales, signups, lead generation, contest entries or whatever the goal of your campaign is.
The Truth About SMS Opt Out Rates
You’ve read all about getting subscribers, the legal and recommended guidelines, and put great offers out to your list. But people still unsubscribe. Should you be worried? Are you doing something wrong? That depends. As the saying goes, you can’t make 100% of the people happy 100% of the time. You will have opt-outs, but whether you have too many is the question you should be asking.
SMS Messaging Still Seen As A Differentiator In Retail – For Now
How many retailers use SMS messaging? According to a recent survey, not that many. And that isn’t the only surprising result shared in the survey conducted by Internet Retailer. Companies large and small know how useful SMS can be. Read on to see why now is the perfect time to start.
Why Brits are Lucky When it Comes to SMS Spam
SMS spam is a problem worldwide. But in the UK, we’re less likely to get it than many other countries. Find out why that is, see some examples, and how you can do your part to keep your SMS messages free of spam.
Do You Ever Unplug From Your Mobile?
While it’s undeniable technology is a growing part of our everyday lives, it may be surprising how few of us ever turn it off. Or leave it behind. Most people rarely 'unplug' from their mobile devices. This provides unparallelled opportunities for marketing, especially via SMS text messaging.
24 Key Research Statistics that Prove You Should be Using SMS Marketing
If you find yourself needing to justify putting budget towards SMS marketing or convincing your manager that it's the right decision for you, here are some key research statistics to keep in mind for why you should pursue an SMS campaign...
5 Amazing SMS Statistics from Salesforce
Every year Salesforce releases its State of Marketing report. It offers insight into how marketers use and see the various tools and channels available today. In the 2016 report, much of the content focused on social and email, but also included a good deal of information on mobile marketing too.