With the growing number of people buying smartphones, mobile internet access is fast becoming a routine activity. Search is the most common online activity, both on desktops and mobiles, and the increasing usage of mobile search has made it important for the advertisers. According to estimates, of the total mobile ad market in the US, mobile search ads will account for 27% of the spend in 2011. By 2014, the figure is likely to rise to 34%. Search marketers need to give due importance to search engine optimization marketing through mobile devices.
There is a significant difference between search on desktops and that on the mobiles. On the former, searchers are usually in the early stages of the purchase funnel, while users conducting mobile search are often in need of immediate information for store visit or purchase.
A study conducted by Ipsos OTX MediaCT and Google proves that users conducting search on smartphones are usually in late stages of purchase funnel and are more likely to take action. Visit to a business, either online or a physical store was the most common action to follow smartphone search. 68% smartphone searchers visited a business, 67% continued research, 59% discussed the matter further and 53% made purchases.
The study also highlighted that smartphone searchers looking for local services or businesses were very likely to act. 61% of such serachers called the business, 59% visited a business, 58% looked for directions, 54% visited the business website, 36% made an in-store purchase and 22% made a purchase online. Mobile ads were found to be very effective in encouraging users to conduct mobile search.