Mobile devices have finally fulfilled expectations by overtaking PCs as the preferred platform for opening emails, but spas and salons must make sure both their emails and websites are fully mobile-friendly, according to spa and salon digital specialist Valorie Reavis of Linkup Marketing. A report from online technology specialist Return Path analysed data from 1.3 billion emails sent between late November through the end of December last year, and found that 51 percent were opened on mobiles. The report uncovered that just 27 percent of emails were opened on desktop clients and 22 percent through webmail. The report also added if current trends continue, then mobile devices could account for 60 percent of all email opens by the end of 2014. Reavis notes the rapid evolution of online habits means businesses have to constantly look at all their communication channels to stay ahead of the game. “With more and more people using their mobiles as their main route to get online, smart spas and salons have already taken steps to ensure their websites are fit for purpose,” says Reavis. “They now need to do the same with their email marketing efforts. It’s not enough that emails simply open on a smartphone or tablet screen, they’ve got to work faultlessly, too. Users should be able to easily find important links and phone numbers and quickly click through with a simple touch of the screen.” Over the 33 days covered by the report, mobile was the preferred platform for reading emails every day, peaking at 62 percent of messages on Christmas Day. “Mobile trends show usage goes up at weekends and during the holidays, then dips as people get back behind their desks on a Monday morning,” says Reavis. “But the general trend towards smartphones and tablets shows no sign of slowing, and businesses will ignore this shift at their own peril.”