Study Indicates Strong Consumer Demand for a Better Mobile Web

By Jeff Orr

dotMobi and AKQA Mobile 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.”