dotMobi, the company behind the .mobi Internet address designed
specifically for mobile phones, and AKQA Mobile, the mobile division of
the global independent creative agency, announced the results of an
extensive consumer study of mobile Internet usage and attitudes.
Conducted by the AKQA's Research & Insights department in
conjunction with dotMobi, the survey reveals key insights into the
importance of a better mobile Web for consumers in the U.S. and U.K.
The survey findings indicated a strong consumer desire for practical
mobile content on phones. Rather than basic entertainment and
ringtones, consumers stated that their most-wanted mobile activities
included phone-optimized banking and travel planning.
Further illustrating the desire for utility-focused mobile Web
sites, nearly 90 percent of consumer respondents stated that they would
be more likely to choose an airline with mobile check-in facilities
over one that did not offer them.
Additionally, trust in the mobile Web was inherent throughout the
results of the study. In demanding access to mobile banking and mobile
commerce abilities for basic utilities such as groceries, plane tickets
and books, Consumers said they trust the mobile Web to keep their
personal information secure, as opposed to the PC-based Internet, where
security remains of utmost importance.
Other results from the mobile Internet usage and attitudes study include:
- Approximately 90 percent of the 2,000 respondents in the online
panel provided by Research Now are interested in learning about the
mobile Web, demonstrating a need for brands to make their mobile
properties findable via mobile search, marketing and advertising
campaigns. Fifty percent of respondents were unaware that there are
mobile sites optimized for use on mobile phones and the vast majority -
86 percent of participants - said they were interested in knowing which
sites are easily accessible on a mobile phone. - Nearly 50 percent of respondents said that a poor experience on
their initial use of the mobile Web made them "reluctant to access"
either the site - or the Internet in general - on their mobile phones
again. - Only 2 percent of participants in the survey who have purchased a
phone in the past six months chose an iPhone. This indicates that
brands that don't optimize their mobile services for a variety of
mobile phones will provide a substandard mobile Internet experiences
for a vast majority of consumers. - Poor site display and layout remain top reasons for mobile Web dissatisfaction among consumers.
- Almost two-thirds of participants stated that they would consider
purchasing theater tickets, take-out food and travel tickets via a
mobile phone. - Finally, 63 percent of survey respondents said they would be more
likely to give up their money than their mobile "smart phone" if they
were mugged.
Daniel Rosen, managing director of AKQA Mobile, said, "The enormous
popularity of mobile devices has had a profound effect on the lifestyle
of the consumer, unleashing new levels of connectivity and personal
mobility. When planning campaigns, global brands need to ensure they
take into account the role the mobile device can play in helping them
engage with customers, and that they create campaigns that have been
developed specifically for mobile applications. The survey's findings
show how easily consumers were turned off by earlier, ill-conceived
mobile campaigns. With mobile devices more ubiquitous, powerful and
sophisticated than ever, there is a real opportunity for brands to
deliver ground-breaking mobile campaigns that captivate, engage and
entertain their customers."
"The results from this research signify the need for a better mobile
experience, something that dotMobi is committed to making available to
consumers globally," said Amy Mischler, vice president of Identity and
Brand Services at dotMobi. "The free services that dotMobi offers -
like DeviceAtlas, ready.mobi and the dotMobi Developer Forum - ensure
that developers and marketers can give consumers a mobile Web
experience that is useful, and complementary to the mobile lifestyle."
"The .mobi domain quickly lets consumers know that a site will work
on a mobile phone. It's also the most widely used naming convention
among the Nielsen top 10 Web sites, so consumers are learning to 'guess
.mobi' when trying to find a site on a mobile phone. They're seeing
that they'll have a more positive Internet experience on their mobile
phone anytime and anywhere," Mischler said. "And now that more than 1
million .mobi names have been registered, the availability of rich,
diverse content for mobile consumers is growing daily."