Timing Is Key For Mobile Search

Mobile-2.

With their smartphones able to do more, consumers are expecting information beyond the typical listings and locations from their mobile phones.

According to a study commissioned by Ask.com (and conducted by Harris Interactive), two-thirds of consumers said they are more likely to ask timely questions when not in front of their computer. At the same time, about a third (30%) of smartphone users employ their phones to access the Web more than their personal computers.

"Increasingly, people are expecting more and more of their smartphones that goes above and beyond what they expect from their laptops," Valerie Combs, vice president of communications for Ask.com, tells Marketing Daily. "The computing power in your hand is something you expect [more about ]what you're looking for."

The increased use of mobile devices is leading consumers to seek more time-sensitive information. For instance, 55% of consumers were interested in finding local reviews on their mobile phones; 68%, meanwhile, said they would like to know whether a restaurant is busy at a given moment.

"In the mobile context, search takes on a different look and feel," Combs says. "There's still a huge opportunity to define what mobile search actually means."

In addition, 40% of consumers looking for information on local businesses said they are influenced by opinions given within 24 hours than those provided a month or so ago. That number increases significantly in the 18- to-24-year-old demographic, with 67% saying the recent opinions are the most important.

"This again illustrates the opportunity for service providers and app providers," Combs says. "People are hungry for the information and they want to know real-time."

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