UK online marketers are leading the way in shifting spend to mobile and tablet devices as they search for more cost effective routes to market, according to the latest data from Marin Software.
UK marketers are embracing tablets, says Marin mobile report
UK online marketers are leading the way in shifting spend to mobile and tablet devices as they search for more cost effective routes to market, according to the latest data from Marin Software.
The firm’s Online Advertising – Q2 2012 Report said the trend was most marked in the UK compared to the US and other global markets.
Marin data found that in June in the UK mobile devices accounted for a 20% share of clicks with 13% share of spend.
Marin said consumers are more inclined to click on mobile devices and that these clicks come in at a lower cost, typically 15p compared to desktop at 35p.
Ed Stevenson, managing director, global agencies and international at Marin Software, said: “The influx of smartphones and tablets is having a big impact on the travel industry.
“Where previously many travellers would book their restaurants and accommodation from home, now many are using their mobile device to make travel arrangements on the go and it seems many UK-based marketers are reacting to this.
“It makes sense too – click-through rates for smartphone devices are more than double those on desktops – at 5.67% and 2.65% respectively.
“In addition to this, these clicks also continue to come at a lower cost, with the Cost-per-Click (CPC) on smartphones more than half that for desktops.”
Overall, search advertising in the UK showed continued growth in quarter two, with the number of paid search clicks increasing by 52% and impression volumes growing by 85% year on year.
In the US these figures were 19% and 18% respectively and in the Eurozone both click volumes and impression volumes were up by 49%.
Stevenson said: “On a year over year basis, general search click volumes increased across the US, UK and the Eurozone, which is great news for marketers globally.
“It’s particularly interesting that marketers have reflected the consumer move towards tablet and mobile searches by shifting search budgets accordingly.
“This trend was noticeable globally, but most prevalent in the UK, where we have consistently seen a very advanced mobile market.
“Overall, tablets and smartphones, while still in early stages of adoption relative to desktop computers, are showing strong and accelerating gains in search share, while delivering quality performance with higher than average click-through rates. An opportunity any advertiser will be taking seriously.”
