
Why You Should Care about the Internet of Things, and What it Means for Your Future Marketing Strategy
November 13, 2015
The end of 2015 is drawing near, and we still haven’t seen the flying cars, hoverboards, and self-tying sneakers we were promised in Back to the Future II. However, there are definitely some very cool “future” things underway, not the least of which is a concept known as the Internet of Things. This concept promises an amazing range of possibilities for consumers over the next few years, and equally powerful opportunities for marketers who know how to take advantage of these new technologies.
First, let’s get some terms out the way. The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of physical objects that are connected electronically via the World Wide Web and that can exchange data with each other.
What that means in practical terms is that an ever-increasing number of devices we use are connected to the Internet in order to provide consumers with increased conveniences. How big is this trend going to be? One group estimates that by 2020, there will be 50 billion portable devices connected to the Internet (if your first thought was “Wow, that’s 7 devices for every person on the planet”, we share your amazement).
Devices that fall under the Internet of Things come in many shapes and sizes:
- Mobile devices—the most traditional type of portable device.
- Wearable tech—be it Google glass, Fitbit, Apple Watch, or other tech devices humans can wear.
- Health tech—pill bottles that remind their owners to take their medicine, and continuous blood glucose monitors that alert a doctor when they detect something is amiss.
- Home tech—programmable thermostats (like Nest), home lighting (Philips Hue), security technologies, and smart outlets that can all be controlled via a mobile device.
- City tech—smart garbage bins that alert City Services when they have to be emptied, and traffic controls that adjust based on the weather conditions.
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