46m Americans used mobile search in Q3 2007
Rating: traction at last
Some 46.1m Americans used mobile search in the third quarter of 2007 according to The Nielsen Company. The report surveyed more than 5,700 mobile search users who use at least one mobile data service. Nielsen also estimates that:
• the most popular form of mobile search among data users in Q3 2007 was 411 directory enquiries (18.1m), followed closely by SMS-based searching, which was used by 14.1m during the same period.
• local listings were the most common reasons for searches, (27.1m), but 14.8m said they searched for information such as sports scores, news or weather, and nearly a quarter (11.3m) said they searched for mobile content.
• demographics vary by search method: 61% of those who made an enquiry via 411 were female, while 60% of WAP (or mobile web) search users were male.
• 33% of SMS searchers were under 25. Hispanic people used SMS search providers Yahoo!, YellowPages SMS and SuperPages’ services more than any other group.
It’s basic stuff, but at least search is beginning to become part of a
significant number (getting on for 20% of all US mobile subscribers) of
people’s everyday lives in the US. From the operators’ point of view,
the fact that almost a quarter of those who used search were looking
for mobile content is very good news indeed. As US operators come under
increasing pressure to open up their handsets, applications and access
to the mobile web, they need to ensure that their content is compelling
and constantly refreshed if they are to make the most of the
opportunity. It’s not so much about offering a walled garden, so much
as making the garden so appealing that users are mostly happy to stay
within its confines, which is a different matter.
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