In today’s media, you can’t flip a page or channel without hearing something about social media and its impact on business. We talk tweets and updates and the importance of Facebook friends.

But there’s one aspect of this new technology that’s sneaking by us: Mobile.

In 2009, 300 million applications for mobile phones were downloaded. That number exploded to 5 billion in 2010. Location-based apps are among the most popular, and the growth is just unbelievable. In 2009, there were 200,000 Foursquare users. At the end of 2010, there were more than 5 million.

And it’s not just the apps. Mobile devices are killing other categories. When was the last time you dusted off your digital camera? Seventy-six percent of U.S. adults take pictures with their mobile phone. On the popular photo sharing site www.flickr.com, the iPhone is the most commonly used camera.

It makes sense. Our phones are always with us, always on and always ready to serve up our e-mail, a few angry birds, our calendar and photos of the family vacation. All with the tap of a finger.

If your organization hasn’t thought about entering the mobile market, consider the possibilities. Ask yourself these questions:

• What would actually be useful to your customers?

• What would they like to do remotely?

• What questions could you answer for them?

• Does it fit your brand to create something whimsical like a game or something pragmatic like Walgreen’s prescription refill app?

Don’t let this megatrend catch you off-guard. Explore the possibilities today.

Drew McLellan is Top Dog at McLellan Marketing Group and blogs at drewsmarketingminute.com. He can be reached by e-mail at Drew@MclellanMarketing.com. © 2011 Drew McLellan