A recent study prepared by Google and Nielsen investigated the latest trends in mobile marketing, and the results indicate that the majority of users who participated make frequent use of mobile devices to search for products and services. There’s no question companies will need to optimize websites for mobile search, especially with smartphones becoming more advanced, and the popularity of tablets skyrocketing.

77% of All Mobile Searches Done At Work or Home

Despite most mobile users having computers available to them at home or in the workplace, the study found that 77% of all mobile searches were made in either of these locations. Additionally, 17% of mobile searches were made on the go, with the remaining 2% being made in-store. This presents the following insights for online marketing professionals:

• Users at home are more comfortable browsing on their tables and smartphones than on their desktop PCs.
• Users searching on the go or in-store can be targeted with local ads to further push specific products and services.
• With 59% of mobile searches occurring after 3 pm, media buyers can effectively day-part mobile ads on Google and Bing.

Mobile Marketing Conversions Occur Rather Quickly

One staggering statistic found within the study was that 55% of search made via mobile devices generated conversion within one hour. One insight in the study noted that users reported mobile marketing ads loading rather quickly, driving them to the promoted results rather than the organic search engine listings. On a larger scale, the study reported that within five hours, 81% of conversions and 84% of all follow-up actions (additional research, website visits, store visits, etc.) took place.

Effectiveness of Displaying Ads for Goal Oriented Searches

The type of search results users click on depends on which stage they are in the purchase decision process. Users in the information search stage are merely gathering product information, whereas users evaluating alternatives are closer to making a final purchasing decision. That said, 59% of users in the study found mobile ads useful, indicating that they found them to be non-invasive, short and to the point, quicker to load, and providing relevant information.

Summary

Online mobile advertising is quickly becoming more relevant as the technology itself becomes more advanced. Investing in mobile friendly websites is not enough to capture users anymore; however, carefully developing mobile SEO driven strategies and PPC advertising campaigns will generate targeted, ready-to-buy traffic.

Image and Stats courtesy of Google.