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Mobile Search Statistics 2010: Google's Estimated Share Near 100%

posted by: Kim  /  01 August 2010

With Internet browsing devices continually becoming smaller, more portable, faster and easier to use it comes as no surprise that mobile search is on the up, and it will undoubtedly continue to rise as technologies improve further still.

What also fails to surprise is Google's domination of the mobile search market - However, with figures currently suggesting an almost 100% market share Google seem to be going further than just dominating.

Google, unlike Yahoo!, Bing and the other search engines included here, actually have a higher market share in mobile search than web search, whereas Yahoo! and Bing have a significantly larger market share in web search when compared to their mobile search figures.

Google have a firm belief in mobile search as the future - Erich Schmidt, Google CEO, said in a recent Q&A session "Fast forward 5-10 years. The answer should always be mobile first." - With Google's share of the mobile search market currently at 98.29% they seem to be making all the right moves to secure their future in a 'mobile first' society.

Mobile Marketing - Shouldn’t YOU be doing it?

posted by: Andy  /  15 January 2010

It doesn't take a genius to know that the mobile phone market is among the fastest growing and largest overall global markets today. So why aren't more companies making the most of this with their marketing campaigns?

The following should give you an understanding of its importance, and the many ways it can be utilised.

Why is mobile marketing so important?

Generally, mobile marketing can be both a cheap and effective marketing method, whilst also retaining a great degree of flexibility. Furthermore, the reach that it allows marketers to have is enormous as there are currently more wireless mobile devices than televisions and computers combined. Mobiles therefore offer a level of opportunity never seen before by any other medium and are used by most major demographics, making it an extremely appealing marketing channel.

Let's break this down with a little market research:

Reach
There are over 15m mobile media users in the UK.

Acceptance
Mobile penetration in the UK is now approaching 125%, meaning many phone users have multiple SIMs or devices.

High response rates
Forrester Research says that SMS campaigns regularly get response rates of 5% to 25%.

Targeting
Mobile phones offer an inherently intimate medium. It facilitates highly targeted, one-to-one communication with lots of potential for personalisation and up-selling.

Wireless Web
28.3% of European mobile subscribers have 3G devices, and Web traffic from mobiles is already estimated to be growing 8 times faster than web traffic from UK PCs.

Applications and Smartphones
Both are on a meteoric rise, especially in developing countries where standard internet access (through a PC) is often non-existent.

Human Behaviour
Changes in the way mobile phones are being used, brings mobile marketing to centre stage. Devices such as the iPhone, Google's Android phones and Windows Mobile smartphones mean its now easier than ever to send and receive email and access the web 'on the move'. Statistics indicate that total 3G penetration has increased by 36% year on year, with the sales of smartphones increasing exponentially in the past 2 years.

So how do they go about doing it?

The entry of big brands to the mobile market support future growth and help to increase growth rate. So what options are available to businesses looking to take advantage of this? Here's a shortlist of the options; some you already know about, others you may not:

• Short Messaging Services (SMS) and Multimedia Messaging Services (MMS)
• Bluetooth, Wireless and Infrared marketing
• Mobile search marketing
• Mobile display advertising
• Mobile video advertising
• Mobile Applications
• QR-codes

If you're looking to take advantage of the opportunities that marketing to mobile device can offer, please call us for a free consultation on 01234 292222.

Social Networking

posted by: Heather  /  30 March 2009

Social networking sites such as Facebook and Myspace have had incredible success over the past few years which has heralded a shift in the way people use and interact with the Internet. These two examples of online social media sites may be the current favourite amongst Internet users but the future possibilities of this form of communication are infinite.

Darren Waters, technology editor for the BBC, has claimed that ‘social networks are the new email'. He believes that the problems with email are not an issue on social media sites. Problems such as spam which can not only be very frustrating but in trying to prevent it you actually risk the blockage of legitimate, often important, messages. Social networks can prevent this as the only people able to contact you are accepted by you as friends.

But if social networking sites are replacing email what does this mean for your business?

We believe that social networking is not only a tool to stay in contact with friends and family in your own time but it can actually be a fantastic forum to keep your company and its employees interactive and engaged in all aspects of your business. Here are some of its benefits...

Greater sense of community

Email is very much a one on one interaction, whereas in a social networking arena you can post ideas and thoughts to a large number of people which can provoke thought sharing and idea development which is available for everyone to see in interactive thought streams

Clearer sense of ‘real time'

By having frequent updates and developments through a ‘news feed' feature, users are able to have a clearer sense of time and structure which allows them to manage themselves and their work load more efficiently.

Easy communication

Whether you would like to post news articles, business development ideas or even new job opportunities to your colleagues you can easily post this to an entire company via a social networking application.

Talking between colleagues in one and one interactions is also made easier with its instant messaging application. This is much faster than email and much simpler as you don't need to route around searching for email addresses; you just enter the recipients name in the networks search engine.

Mobile

The mobile phone holds great opportunities in regards to online communication, in particular to social networks. Nielson Online have done research into online activity via the mobile phone and it was discovered that 23% (2 million people) of social network users access their favourite sites on their phone.

Here at Fivesite we are experts in creating social networking sites for large companies. We have recently created one for Thompson Holidays (TUI) which has allowed their holiday reps to communicate and stay in touch around the world. The site has been a great success. Simon Allatt at TUI said about the site:

To find out more about social networking opportunities for your business or for advice on developing other aspects of your online profile please contact us on 01234 292222.