The mobile search market continues to attract more users. A recent study by Google researchers was featured in IEEE Computer Society’s Computer Magazine, and revealed some of the latest user trends in mobile search. Here are a few of the key findings from the study:
- From 2005 to 2007 the number of mobile search queries resulting in users clicking at least one search result increased from 10 percent to over 50 percent. Furthermore, the percentage of mobile search queries resulting in users requesting “more search results” rose from 8.5 percent to 10.5 percent.
- Since 2005, the number of queries per session has increased by more than 25 percent.
- The average mobile query was 2.56 words and 16.8 characters, while smartphone queries were slightly longer at 2.64 words. In comparison, PC search queries are about 2.5 words.
The study also looked at what mobile users are searching. The table below is taken from the study which shows the top categories in mobile search. The results are based on actual query data from Google. The categories in the table are undefined, so it is difficult to determine exactly how the web pages were classified, but it offers an interesting look at what users are searching for on their mobile devices.
Whether your search marketing strategy targets natural (organic) searches or paid advertising, the addition of mobile-friendly web pages to your site is important. Note that mobile-friendly landing pages are required for pay-per-click advertising on Google’s mobile search engine. WebShare offers a variety of search and conversion marketing services that can help you improve your site’s presence in the mobile search market. You can expect to see more users searching the Mobile Web as wireless service providers continue to improve the speed of their wireless internet connections, making it increasingly more important to expand your search marketing strategy into the mobile arena.
Dave Reichenbacher
DR directs program management and operations at WebShare. He also is one of our Seminars for Success instructors and has an affinity toward local search marketing. You can find out more about Dave here.
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