Brands that are looking for ways of attracting new customers may want to target users of mobile phones and social media, as new research reveals that both are popular around the globe, WebProNews reported on December 26, 2011.

The news source highlighted data from a recent Pew Research Center study of 21 countries and how much their residents used their mobile phones.

On December 20, 2011, Pew released the study findings on its website. They revealed that of cellphone users in 21 countries, 75 percent send text messages, 50 percent take pictures and video and 23 percent use the internet.

Researchers found that in 15 out of 21 countries, at least 25 percent of those polled accessed social media sites via their mobile phones, according to the website. The greatest interest in connecting with these interactive platforms was in Israel, where 53 percent of respondents use mobile devices to log into their social media accounts. The U.S. was close behind at 50 percent, while Britain, Russia and Spain rounded out the top five. What companies may have an interest in learning is that people in less-fortunate nations, such as Kenya and Indonesia, are also using their phones to log into social media websites.

Furthermore, the younger people are, the more likely they are to use their cellphones for more than just phonecalls. According to the website, 80 percent of U.S. respondents between the ages of 18 and 29 said they access social media platforms from their mobile devices. Meanwhile, 62 percent of individuals ages 30 through 49 are logged in on the go, while the same is true of 26 percent of adults 50 and up. Similar trends could be found in countries such as Britain, France, Germany and Spain. The biggest difference could be found in Lithuania, where 84 percent of 18 through 29 year olds use social media, compared to 10 percent of people at least 50 years of age.

This information could prove useful to companies that are looking to engage customers who use smartphones. By offering mobile-friendly promotions, brands may be able to gain opportunities for social learning from consumers around the world – including developing markets such as Africa and Asia.

Should companies decide to organize smartphone-friendly promotions, there are a few things they need to know about mobile marketing, according to a June 17, 2011 Mashable article.

The news source recommended that companies use mobile capabilities to provide consumers with information they find appealing. For instance, if a brand’s target audience is health-conscious, then the business may want to create an application customers can use to receive the latest in health research.

In addition, the news outlet reported that social media websites like Facebook are tools for conversations. Companies need to remember that ad campaigns can also lead to dialogue. They should also think about the types of feedback they may receive from consumers who are logged into their social accounts while they are inside stores or riding on public transportation.

No matter how companies choose to approach mobile marketing, they can only stand to improve their corporate development strategies. On April 8, 2011, MediaPost shared the results of a Gartner report, which revealed that mobile advertising would more than double around the world this year. Furthermore, mobile advertising is expected to account for $20.6 billion in revenue by 2015.

Gartner also expected mobile-specific advertising innovations at the local level to drive customer spending, the news source reported. For instance, companies may use more location-based ads, point-of-sale redemption, camera-activated search and barcode scanning.