Commentary

Local Search To Increase Ad Views

Yellowpages-on-Tablet-AMy mother sits at the kitchen table and opens the printed Yellow Pages book to find a phone number rather than pay to call directory assistance, but I can't remember the last time I either looked in a printed YP book or called 411. She became familiar with a flip phone about 10 years ago and doesn't want to upgrade to a smartphone -- too many bells and whistles. I tell her that looking up things like business phone numbers becomes much easier with an Internet-connected phone, especially one with voice search. Google Now will contribute to that ease. When I find the book on the front steps of my house, I pick it up and carry it directly to the recycling bin.

The next generation of search not only makes it easier for consumers to find brand information, but for brands to connect with consumers. Consumers using Internet Yellow Page (IYP) services tend to view ads more frequently, and are 51% more likely to have an income greater than $100,000 versus all smartphone users, according to The Local Mobile Search Report 2013.

The Local Search Association released the report prepared by comScore analyzing the U.S. mobile environment and the growing role of smartphones, tablets and other connected devices in the local search experience. It highlights trends in online directory and IYP use and demographics. The report is based on December 2012 data from several comScore digital and mobile metrics databases.

The trend toward local continues to increase the number of purchases via smartphones. Some 41% of IYP users make at least one on-phone purchase per month, versus 19% of all smartphone users, according to the report.

IYP app users spend considerably more for on-phone purchases than all smartphone users, with 10% of IYP app users spending a monthly average of more than $500 for on-phone purchases, versus 4% of all smartphone users.

While it took smartphones nearly a decade to reach 40 million owners, tablets crossed that threshold in only two years since the launch of the first iPad.

Data reflecting the number of consumers accessing the Internet via desktop machines shows a changing landscape. Web traffic originating from PCs remains flat, while smartphones and tablets more than doubled to 15% in December 2012 from the prior year. Page hits to online directories and other local resources from mobile devices more than quadrupled in 2012, reaching 27% share of total Web traffic in December 2012, up from 6% share in December 2011.

Some 48% of people in December 2012 tapped mobile devices to access local content, up from 42% in the prior-year month. About 77% of smartphone users access local content compared with 14% of non-smartphone users, according to Local Search, citing the comScore MobiLens U.S., December 2011-2012 report.

On mobile devices, consumers show a preference for applications over browsers. Approximately 77 million smartphone owners relied on applications to visit local content in December 2012, up 22% since the year-ago month. About 69 million users relied on browsers in December 2012, up 12% since December 2011.

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