ComScore, released a quarterly review of the U. S. prepaid wireless
industry based on online visitation and search referral activity. It showed strong
gains in online activity as consumers increasingly turn to
cost-effective wireless service alternatives during the economic
downturn.
The combined visitation to these sites grew 37 percent versus
year ago to nearly 8 million visitors, representing more than 4 percent
of the total U.S. Internet audience.
Growth in the category was
driven primarily by MyCricket.com (up 107 percent) and Boostmobile.com
(up 105 percent), both of which more than doubled in visitation versus
year ago. MetroPCS.com and Net10.com also experienced strong gains,
growing 63 percent and 37 percent, respectively.
|
Prepaid Wireless Site Visitation March 2009 vs. March 2008 Total U.S. - Home/Work/University Locations Source: comScore Media Metrix |
|||
| Site | Unique Visitors (000) | ||
| Mar-08 | Mar-09 | Percent Change | |
| Total Prepaid Wireless Audience* | 5,806 | 7,968 | 37% |
| VirginMobileUSA.com | 1,554 | 1,512 | -3% |
| TracFone.com | 1,390 | 1,290 | -7% |
| MetroPCS.com | 1,154 | 1,879 | 63% |
| MyCricket.com | 925 | 1,915 | 107% |
| BoostMobile.com | 871 | 1,784 | 105% |
| Net10.com | 346 | 474 | 37% |
*Unduplicated audience of six selected prepaid wireless sites
Organic Search Click Growth Outpaces Paid Clicks to Prepaid Wireless Sites
In
order to understand the marketing factors driving traffic to prepaid
wireless sites, comScore also conducted an analysis of search referral
activity. The results showed that while both paid and organic search
are driving increased referral activity, organic search is
substantially outpacing paid search referrals on the whole. This
dynamic suggests that the underlying consumer demand for prepaid
wireless services is not just being driven by paid search marketing
expenditures.
A few of the sites performed particularly well in
obtaining growth from organic search referrals compared to paid search
referrals. Organic clicks to BoostMobile.com grew 310 percent, while
paid clicks grew 119 percent; organic clicks to MyCricket.com grew 123
percent compared to 63 percent growth in paid clicks; and organic
clicks to MetroPCS.com grew 148 percent compared to 17 percent growth
in paid clicks.
|
Paid vs. Organic Search Clicks to Prepaid Wireless Sites March 2009 vs. March 2008 Total U.S. - Home/Work/University Locations Source: comScore Marketer |
||
| Site | Y/Y Percent Change in Search Clicks | |
| Paid Clicks | Organic Clicks | |
| VirginMobileUSA.com | -18% | 44% |
| TracFone.com |
-4% | -50% |
| MetroPCS.com | 17% | 148% |
| MyCricket.com | 63% | 123% |
| BoostMobile.com | 119% | 310% |
| Net10.com | -40% | -64% |
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