Feature Article

Free eNews Subscription>>
October 03, 2012

Users Employ Consumer Mobile Phones 68 Percent of the Time at Home: Study

Some 68 percent of consumer mobile phone use takes place in the home, according to a study by AOL and BBDO.

The study, conducted by research firm InsightsNow, showed that mobile phone use isn't always when users are on the go. In addition, there are seven "mobile motivations" that relate to most mobile use.

One of these is to get accomplishments. Another is to socialize with other people. A third is to prepare for upcoming activities. The fourth is “Me Time,” which is relaxation and entertainment time. Another is to discover news and information.

Still another is to shop for a product or service. And there is expressing one’s passions and interests.

The study showed that Me Time totaled 46 percent of all smartphone app and website motivation, averaging 864 minutes per month per user. On the other hand, mobile advertising performs poorly in Me Time on ad effectiveness, the study said.

To improve mobile interactions with consumers, the study recommends that businesses “think about mobile as part of something bigger.”

“Move beyond the conventional surface view of mobile behaviors to align your messaging with the underlying motivators that propel mobile interactions,” it added.

Also, focus on Me Time, so mobile communications lets users “indulge and enjoy themselves,” the study said.

"Many in the industry tend to focus their messaging on the nature of the devices consumers are using, as opposed to the mindset they are in when using the device," Christian Kugel, vice president of Consumer Analytics and Research at AOL, advised in a company statement. "This study was designed to uncover what's going on beneath the surface so that marketers can better understand what roles smartphones actually play in the lives of consumers. That includes realizing that much of use occurs when people are on their couches, not away from home."

"In the end, it's all about helping agencies and creatives create the most compelling content,” Simon Bond, BBDO's chief marketing officer, added in a statement carried by MobilityTechzone. “And based on our findings, that compelling content should be me-based, home-based, entertainment-based, not solely geo-location based."

Additional findings will be announced at the Mobile Marketing Association's "Smarter Mobile Marketing" Conference today, October 3.

Want to learn more about today’s powerful mobile ecosystem? Don't miss the Mobility Tech Conference & Expo, collocated with ITEXPO Austin 2012 happening now in Austin, TX. Stay in touch with everything happening at Mobility Tech Conference & Expo. Follow us on Twitter.




Edited by Braden Becker


FOLLOW MobilityTechzone

Subscribe to MobilityTechzone eNews

MobilityTechzone eNews delivers the latest news impacting technology in the Wireless industry each week. Sign up to receive FREE breaking news today!
FREE eNewsletter