The use of smartphones and their mobile app interfaces is continuing to grow, and becoming increasingly more popular. Nearly half of all U.S. adults now own a smart phone. Social sites like Facebook, Yelp, Google, and Foursquare (and many more) have created apps for mobile phones that let users “check in” to locations and announce to the world where they are, and what they’re doing. They’re talking about their their favorite coffee houses, restaurants, shops, bars, and concert venues.
This continued growth will have more consumers relying on their smartphones to point them towards the quality deals in town while they’re on the go. These mobile users not only just share where they’re at, but they write reviews on sites like Yelp, update their status on Facebook, and take pictures with Instagram. With people trusting peer reviews more than any other form of advertising, it makes sense for local businesses to begin offering specials and figuring out a way to lure people into their businesses through more channels — and mobile is a great place to begin.
via: Intuit