A new report from eMarketer has shed new light on the way consumers search for everything from restaurants to hotels. This information confirms an earlier report from Nielsen that revealed consumers spend more time using the internet on mobile phones than on desktops and laptops.

Marketing in the Cloud

As the internet has increasingly become an essential part of everyday life, marketers have moved their marketing efforts online. Services like Google AdWords allow businesses to sign up for services online, automating marketing efforts that have traditionally been relegated to billboards and paid media advertising.

The best thing about cloud-based advertising is that results can easily be tracked. Advertisers often offer businesses the ability to gather detailed information about click-through rates and referring URLs, helping them craft more successful campaigns in the future.

The Move to Mobile

As the report details, smartphone use has eclipsed PCs as the medium of choice for finding information. If a consumer is planning a trip, planning is more likely to be conducted using a mobile app like Kayak than to use Google to find information. A homebuyer searching for a house will probably turn to mobile apps like Zillow to gather information and set up notifications when a new home goes on the market.

This shift has real-world implications for today’s businesses, still struggling to compete in a technology-driven marketplace. Marketers who have centered their collective attentions on techniques like Google AdWords and search engine marketing must now consider new methods to reach customers.

Does your business need an app to reach this new consumer market? Not necessarily. But understanding that searches are taking place from smartphones, using voice commands and location search can make a big difference in your success in your next marketing campaign. As technology continues to evolve, businesses will likely notice old ways of reaching consumers no longer work and, by staying ahead of the market, your business can better compete.