2013 was the year when many businesses prioritized and integrated mobile marketing, and went ‘mobile first’. We’ve discussed a few game-changing mobile trends that ruled 2013  in our previous blog post, lets take a look at a few trends to watch out for in 2014.

1. Wearable devices will become mainstream

According to a forecast by Juniper Research, 2014 will represent a ‘watershed’ year for wearable technology. The most successful wearables like Nike+ Fuelband, Jawbone and Fitbit have been in niche domains such as health and fitness.

Google Glass has generated a lot of interest among mainstream tech audience with its beta launch in 2013.  These augmented reality glasses let users take hands-free pictures and videos and access emails. Apple is also rumoured to enter the market of wearable technology with the launch of iWatch.

These futuristic smart devices are expected to boost marketing efforts by letting brands connect with their consumers by adopting a cross-device targeting strategy.

2. Consumers will expect more out of Smart TV

Smart TV shipments are expected to reach over 400 million in 2014 and manufacturers are continuously working on improving their technology to create sophisticated television watching experience. Consumers are expected to access more and more web-based services such as Netflix, Hulu via their television sets.

Samsung has already announced that the smart TVs lined up for launch in 2014 will incorporate better control through voice and finger motions.

3. Mobile Wallets will proliferate

According to Gartner, mobile transactions around the world saw a 44% rise from 2012 to a total of $235.4 billion in 2013. The firm also predicts that this trend will result in a 38% rise to $325 billion this year.

Many companies, including Apple and Google, are trying to replace the traditional wallets of users with a digital one. Starbucks, for example, lets consumers pay via the Starbucks app, by opening it and waving it under the scanner. The company reports having seen an impressive adoption rate, with the Starbucks app accounting for more than 11% of US in-store purchases.

Moreover, mobile wallets such as Apple’s Passbook are now increasingly being used to store coupons, gifts and loyalty cards. Large UK retailers such as Tesco and The Body Shop have already integrated Apple’s Passbook into their marketing campaign which enables them to offer updated voucher codes to customers and also encourage them to visit stores through Geo-targeting.

4. Video ads will dominante mobile advertising

A recent report by Google states that mobile video will account for 66% of mobile traffic in 2017. The rise of micro video has led to more small businesses adopting video marketing as an effective tool.

Short-form social videos come in two forms – 6 seconds mostly on Vine, and up to 15 seconds on Instagram. Furthermore, videos are more likely to go viral quickly if its content is catchy and creative.

Production costs for video creation continue to fall as most smartphones have a high-quality video production tool that lets marketers capture HD videos quite effortlessly. Moreover, the widespread availability of wireless internet in most places offers the bandwidth to deliver video ads.

5. Email marketers will focus more on mobile than desktops

A recent report by Litmus states that 48% of all emails are viewed on mobile while only around 33% are opened on desktop. With the worldwide decline in PC shipments, the number of emails opened on mobile is projected to increase this year.

Sending emails that require users to zoom in on small mobile screens frustrates them and lowers the potential engagement level that it would otherwise offer. If you are an email marketer looking for tips to optimize your emails for mobile devices, head over to read our 6 tips to optimize emails for mobile.

These 5 mobile trends will improve your chances of staying ahead of the curve and strengthening your mobile strategy for years to come. What are your mobile predictions for 2014? Share your views in the comments section.