The rise of the smartphone is failing to dent the popularity of desktop search, with most consumers still relying heavily on their PC or laptop to find products and services, according to a new study.
The DMA Mobile Marketing Council’s first Mobile Search Report shows that while smartphone ownership is on the rise, uptake of mobile search has been slower than anticipated.
While more than half of mobile users own a smartphone, 60% of consumers still prefer searching for information via desktop, compared to 15% who favour using their smartphone over desktop.
However, the report does highlight exactly what consumers are looking for while on the move. The top reason for why consumers use mobile search is ‘when looking for offers and deals’, cited by half of those polled; 40% turn to their phones when looking for information about a brand, and 27% rely on their devices when looking for a place to eat.
News tops the list of the 10 most popular kinds of content searched for, with 54% using their smartphones to keep up to date on the latest events; 30% use their devices to search for information on high street retailers, 29% on restaurants and hotels, 26% for supermarkets and 23% for consumer electronics.
Meanwhile, the research, which polled 1,000 UK consumers on their smartphone usage and preferences, also reveals that seven in 10 (68%) UK smartphone owners prefer using established search engines to research potential purchases compared to just 37% who use brand apps.
Commenting on the findings of the report, Richard Hicks, head of mobile for ITV and member of the DMA’s Mobile Marketing Council, said: “While it’s reasonable to expect that the rise of smartphone ownership would lead to the imminent demise of desktop our research suggests this isn’t happening as quickly as anticipated. However, smartphones have quickly assumed an important role in the lives of consumers. This research is essential reading for marketers to understand how and why consumers are using smartphones to search for information online.”
