More than Half of Mobile Users Access Content Each Week

According to a recent study conducted by Frank N. Magid Associates, a consulting company, 51 percent of mobile phone users access content with their mobile devices on a weekly basis.

The study also revealed that mobile content users spend nearly the same amount of time with mobile content (39 minutes) as the average mobile phone user does text messaging (38 minute) or talking on their mobile phones (44 minutes).

“Instead, these adopters of the mobile lifestyle are using their phones to keep in touch with and manage the entertainment, news, and social information critical to their lives,” the firm said in a statement.

Entertainment content, which includes mobile games, music and social networking activities, is accessed for bigger chunks of time than utilitarian content, which includes news, weather and sports scores.

Mobile social networking is dominated by mobile users who are between 12 years old and 34 years old (80 percent), while news consumption is equally dominated by users between 18 years old and 54 years old (79 percent).

“Anything entertainment oriented is a draw for the younger demo – games, music, movie times, entertainment news – it all exhibits a big opportunity for companies targeting younger demographic groups,” said Vicki Cohen, executive vice president of Frank N. Magid Associates.

Seventy-two percent of users between 12 years old and 17 years old access mobile content weekly. Of this segment, 52 percent buy content on a regular basis, compared to 39 percent of all content users who do the same.

The cost of accessing mobile content is the biggest deterrent for those mobile users who do not access mobile content, according to the study.

Additionally, 52 percent of non-users said they do not feel the need to access mobile content when they are away from traditional content channels.

“Lack of familiarity with mobile content and no clear perception of value are the primary barriers for non-users, who are more likely to be older Americans,” said Jill Rosengard Hill, senior vice president of the company.

The study also revealed the obvious: households earning more money are more likely to access mobile content than their less wealthy counterparts.

Sources:

http://sev.prnewswire.com/null/20090514/NE1740814052009-1.html

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=106197