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When email became widespread during the late 1990s, the gold rush was on. Such inexpensive, wide reach for marketing was previously unheard of — and advertisers worldwide rushed to adopt it. The adoption of mobile devices has created the same frenzied atmosphere, and it’s creating new opportunities for marketers.

The Numbers

Take a look at some of the numbers driven by the mobile explosion from the past year:

• 77 percent of the world population subscribe to mobile plans — that’s 5.3 billion people worldwide.
• Over 1,000,000,000 people accessed mobile Internet last year. This is double the number who did so in 2009 — and the growth rate is expected to increase.
• Mobile web searches quadrupled in 2011, with one in seven web searches now made from a mobile device.
• By the end of 2011, 71 percent of people who saw an ad on TV, print or online media would perform a mobile search for more information.
• In 2011, the mobile ad market alone generated $1 billion in sales.
• 8 trillion text messages were sent in 2011 — more than 21 billion per day. Data has replaced voice as the primary mode of communication via cellular phone.

The Good

These startling numbers inevitably point to mobile optimization as a top priority for your 2012 marketing plan. Businesses with a solid mobile platform enjoy several advantages over their slower competition.

• Brand recognition and involvement increase as customers are able to access your brand from anywhere.
• Publishing becomes nearly free, with mobile devices allowing you to move e-books, product brochures and similar material to electronic versions.
• Your business gets an SEO leg-up. Competing only with mobile websites gives you more and longer visits — which helps both mobile and traditional SEO.
• Sales opportunities increase since customers feel comfortable buying from you at any location — rather than waiting to get home and logging in at a desk- or laptop.
• The lower bandwidth required by mobile users will mean more efficient use of your company’s network resources.
• Mobile optimization allows for user involvement through polls, contests and similar initiatives in ways that other marketing platforms cannot match.

The Bad and the Ugly

Mobile optimization carries a long list of advantages, but is no easy feat. The coding itself is well within the abilities of most competent web designers, but the variety of mobile platforms presents a challenge. Take for example the discrepancy of screen sizes between a Windows Phone, iPhone and Blackberry. What works on one will seem cramped on another, and too open on the third.

These challenges are real, but not insurmountable — and certainly not a reason to set aside mobile optimization. Just test all of your mobile platforms on multiple mobile devices to ensure the best possible user experience.