[I:http://greypod.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/AlexSpeirs37.jpg]Lights, camera, action! Media consumption is growing and eMarketer tells us that on average the US consumer spends up to 11 hours a day interacting with major media. Of those 11 hours, the Internet represents the second largest share of media time; television and video viewing together take out the number one spot. Also on the rise, unsurprisingly, is time spent by Americans on mobile device usage and this is growing exponentially. We have what is known as the ‘Three screens” – television, internet and mobile- which collectively represented almost 75% of all media consumption in 2010. So with mobile on the rise, what does this mean for the industry?

Let’s look at advertising spend and where it ranks; the online industry is also second only to television with online ad spending reaching a record $25 billion which made 2010 the first year that more dollars were spent on online ads than in newspapers ads. This truly reflects audience trends and as aforementioned, the time consumers are spending online via their mobile devices.

Increasing adoption of smartphones and tablets means that consumers are accessing news and information via mobile instead of using traditional methods of the past. It is about instant access from wherever the consumer is and at whatever time of the day they choose. Faster data speeds and almost 96% wireless penetration has made this possible. 38% of mobile phone owners browse the Internet, use apps or download content. Smartphone owners account for half of all mobile browsing activity and more than half use their mobile for social networking. Convert these numbers into the fantastic business potentials that lie within and the possibility for opportunities are limitless.

Digital devices are changing the way we consume content and the way we view advertising and conduct commerce. It is changing so many aspects of how we conduct our daily lives. Now it can be seen that it is inevitable that consumption of media on mobile will grow exponentially and the associated advertising spend will continue with great intensity. 2011 promises yet more opportunities for those in the mobile marketing industry.

The stage for mobile marketing is truly set and those smart and savvy marketers are already seeing great results. If you haven’t yet ventured into mobile marketing, look no further…

This article was written by Alex Speirs of TXT2GET, a leading mobile marketing company. TXT2GET supply affordable SMS keywords to advertising that typically increase ad response by 2-3x. SMS keywords also bring measurability & accountability to advertising, because you can see the exact time and date that responses come in. Click on the link to get free advice on how mobile marketing can improve your business’ advertising.