According to a Chinese proverb, women hold up half the sky. When it comes to using mobile technology, however, women hold up much more than just half. This infographic from FinancesOnline.com reveals that men and women have vastly different attitudes toward their mobile devices, with women being much more active than men in almost every category of use. Knowing and using these differences can make or break your next mobile marketing campaign.
The data — compiled from Nielsen, ExactTarget, Pew, and Simmons Connect sources — seems to indicate that men view their phones as a tool, preferring to use them selectively to accomplish specific tasks. Women, however, seem to have embraced smartphones and other mobile devices as a Swiss Army Knife for work, play, and relationships.
Women are more likely than men to use their smartphones for messaging, talk, browsing, social networking, playing games, downloading apps, and taking and sharing photos. Men dominate in watching videos, listening to music, reading newspapers, and using their device’s GPS function. Looking at mobile social media use, men tend to focus on business and dating, while women go for relationship building, social sharing, entertainment, and self-help.
These behaviors affect patterns of consumption, as well. Men are 1.5 times more likely to scan coupons or QR codes. They’re less likely to ignore social media ads and prefer commercial messages featuring cars, sports, action, and sexual themes. In contrast, women ignore more social and mobile ads, even though they follow four times as many brands as their male counterparts. When they do click on ads, women prefer sentimental, family, real-life and pet themes.
So what does this mean for marketers?
Gender Matters More Than Ever
When developing marketing campaigns, consider your target audience’s behavior and preferences for social and mobile. The old clichés and assumptions are no longer valid. Abandon them. Design offers and calls-to-action accordingly.
Target Behavior
Now that you know how men and women use their phones and the themes that resonate with them, time and target your messages to intersect their natural mobile or social behavior. Give men the information they’re after in short and efficient bursts. Make female-oriented content entertaining and shareable.
Honor Half the Sky
Women have consistently been early adopters and aggressive users of mobile and social technologies. They’re the principal buyers of almost every category of goods and services. Their choices frequently influence the purchasing choices and brand loyalties of the men in their lives. Women are a powerful audience, so don’t be afraid to go above and beyond in your efforts to reach them.
Image: Flickr/Susan NYC
