2008: Definitely The Year Of Mobile
Okay–I am just kidding about this being the year of mobile.
We have heard many times that it would be the year of mobile; it is almost a joke at this point.
What does the year of mobile mean anyhow?
I don’t think that their will ever be a “year of mobile”–I do however think that 2008 has been a significant year in terms of advancements in the mobile ecosystem.
Have a look at these numbers
Clearly the way in which people access the web has changed (notice I did not say, “the mobile web”. It is the same web no matter where you access it)
These M:Metrics/Comscore numbers are very compelling and clearly display drastic changes in the way consumers view mobile (especially in the US–very surprising to me). Say goodnight Yellow Pages.
While the numbers show a drastic change in behavior, what these numbers do not tell you is that only 9.2% of mobile subscribers search the web via a mobile device, and only half of those subscribers do so on a regular basis (once a week).
So is this in fact the year of mobile?
I would have to say probably not–but we are getting to the point where marketers need to seriously consider how they are optimizing for local search. Small businesses also need to be paying serious attention to LBA’s on Google and other engines.
One thing I can say for sure is that–this is the year you need to start paying attention to mobile search (if you have not already).Search marketing has moved from searching the web to searching our world, and this is largely due to the mobile device.
Tags: comscore, m:metrics, Mobile Marketing Strategy, mobile search, the year of mobile
Sep 15, 2008
Japanese mobile devices are SO advanced, they don’t even have to search for stuff! That’s why Japan isn’t appearing at all in those charts!
Sep 15, 2008
That is a great point, somehow I think they do search for stuff and they just left Japan out as to not make us look like a 3rd world country
Sep 16, 2008
Adam, everyone knows that 2008 was the year of Virtual Worlds! Seriously though, great post – any predictions on where the mobile market is headed in 2009? Will QR codes and other widely-adopted foreign technologies catch on in the US?
Sep 16, 2008
Jamie, this is the decade of Virtual worlds!
I think that utility based mobile functions (search, QR codes) and social mobile functions are the two areas of the mobile space to watch.
I am bullish on mobile content, but only a few people are getting it right.
Sep 19, 2008
I actually just had a meeting today where someone referenced how iMedia attendees have been deriding Mobile overhype for a couple years now but in this last iMedia there’s been more positive buzz around it.
And now here you are posting about it. I’ve been watching, not making mobile a huge priority, maybe I should roll up my sleeves a little. I still think the options for an advertiser to really make an impact on a lot of people with it limited.
Sep 21, 2008
Greg
I agree that mobile is not the effective mass reach vehicle that some a claiming–I think the real opportunity at this point is in effective experiments that go beyond the mobile banner–that is the real opportunity as I see it