comScore is putting out two reports on cell phone usage and attitudes in the US. Here’s the press release. I’ve written up the top-level findings at SEL. I focus more here on the local aspects/implications of the data.
Only 17% of US mobile users currently subscribe to wireless Internet access (in contrast to SMS). Here is the content area breakdown (by % of users):
- E-mail: 44%
- Ring Tone Downloads: 35%
- Weather: 34%
- News: 29%
- Sports: 25%
- Local Search (i.e. YP): 24%
- Game Downloads: 21%
- Travel Information: 19%
- Wallpaper Downloads: 16%
- Directory Assistance: 15%
- Financial Information: 10%
- Pay Bills: 10%
- Shopping: 6%
The bold text indicates my emphasis on local (or potentially local) content. I argue shopping is local because most users look up product information and pricing online but shop offline/locally. Travel (except for airline information) is local because it’s tied in with a physical place and triggers related local searches (restaurants, events, etc.). Sports may or may not be local but offer contextually related local ad opportunities.
And GPS or cell-tower triangulation offer the possibility of precisely locating the user, which opens a range of marketing opportunities vs. the Internet.
eMarketer has forecast that worldwide mobile marketing revenues will rise from an estimated $1.5 billion in 2006 to $13.9 billion in 2011.
