For the first time, mobile email is overtaking desktop email.
The number of people opening email on mobile devices has passed the tipping point of 50 percent for several industries, according to new research from cloud apps and services company Knotice.
Overall, 48 percent of commercial emails in 2013 were first opened on mobile devices. That’s up from 41 percent a year earlier, and 36 percent from the second half of 2012 — 33 percent increase in just one year, says Knotice.
The mobile email report features data on the percentage of email opens occurring on mobile devices (smartphones and tablets), click activity, device popularity, activity post-send and other factors. It is based on a sampling of one billion emails sent across 11 industry segments during 2013. The report also offers strategies to help marketers make the best use of the information presented.
Other key findings:
Several industries have passed the “mobile tipping point”: The consumer services, hospitality, and financial services industries all saw mobile email opens rates rise past 50 percent during the second half of 2013. For other industry segments, the mobile tipping point is quickly approaching and marketers need to be ready for when mobile users will make up the majority of their audience.
Tablet use jumped significantly from 2012 to 2013: Knotice research saw tablet use jump 41 percent from 2012 (12 percent) to 2013. During the first half of 2013, 14 percent of emails were opened on tablets, while the last half of 2013 saw 17 percent of emails opened on tablets.
Hospitality and Consumer Services see highest mobile email open rates: The hospitality and consumer services industries have seen the highest mobile email open rates with both at 54 percent.
The full 44-page report, “Knotice Mobile Email Opens Report: 2013 Overview” is available for download here.
