Are You Mobile?

The Pew Internet and American Life Project recently released a study on the growing number of Americans using mobile internet technology. We all notice this emergent group with the rise of iPhones and Blackberrys. It is clear that this promising arena will be critical to the future success of nonprofits, corporations and political candidates.

The "Mobile Difference" report by Pew defines individuals that use this technology as motivated by mobility. The report states that this group is 39% of the adult U.S. population, having "seen the frequency of their online use grow as their reliance on mobile devices has increased. For these groups, growth in frequency of online use is linked not only to increasing broadband adoption, but to positive and improving attitudes about how mobile access makes them more available to others."

According to the report, the rest of us do not feel such a draw to the use of mobile technology, for a number of reasons:

• Many still feel content with their current high speed internet connection on desktop
• Many are infrequently online
• Many feel they already receive too much information and prefer traditional communication vehicles
• Indifference to technology
• Some live off the grid - they just don't use the Internet

Here is their breakdown of people that use mobile technology. This information should be helpful in your organization's targeting operation. It can tell organizations how to reach out to different groups and whether they will be receptive to mobile technology.