Americans Spend an Average of 2.7 Hours a Day on the Mobile Internet

By Larry Bodine, a business development advisor with Apollo Business Development.  He has helped law firms nationwide attract new clients and generate new business by using strategy, business development training and individual attorney coaching. See www.ApolloBusinessDevelopment.com. He can be reached at 630.942.0977 and Lbodine [at] LawMarketing [dot] com.

Americans are spending an average of 2.7 hours every day on the mobile Internet – connecting socially and managing their personal affairs, according to a new survey by public relations agency Ruder Finn. Ruder Finn's first-ever Mobile Intent Index studies mobile phone user habits and explores the underlying reasons – or intent – people have for accessing the mobile Internet.

"Mobile phones have become the way people organize their lives—managing finances, connecting with friends, purchasing products—and this trend will only accelerate," said Kathy Bloomgarden, Ruder Finn co-CEO. "The mobile phone is becoming the most powerful online device, and the faster businesses can adapt their services to harness consumer mobile intent, the more rapidly they can capitalize on understanding their customers to drive growth."

The Mobile Intent Index asked respondents how frequently they use their mobile phones to go online for 295 reasons.  The results show that immediacy is the primary factor driving behavior.

"Mobile phone use goes beyond instant gratification," said Marty McGough, director, Ruder Finn Insights. "Our survey data shows that people use their mobile phones out of necessity for instant access to the Web whether it's to conduct business with the most recent information or advocate on the spot on issues of pressing concern and breaking news."

Additionally, the data underscores the rise of phone applications.  Three in five (61%) respondents download applications at least once per month while 36 percent of users download applications from social networking sites at least once per month.

Michael Schubert, Chief Innovation Officer overseeing digital strategy at Ruder Finn added, "Mobile technology means that people no longer have to wait until they're in front of their computers to do their work. And people are taking advantage of that; using mobile devices to do their core work while using desktops to navigate longer format and higher bandwidth content and tools. This is resulting in huge changes – and opportunities – across industries, making mobile an essential channel in keeping businesses competitive."

Mobile phones are a social connector.  

• Instant message – 62%
• Forward e-mails (58%), content (40%) and photos (38%)
• Post comments on social networking sites – 45%
• Connect to people on social networking sites – 43%

Mobile phones are a personal finance tool.  Mobile phone users (60%) are 1.3 times more likely to go online to do business compared to traditional users (45%).  In fact, they are 1.6 times more likely to manage finances (62% versus 39%).  Mobile phones offer users the chance to conduct business in real time, and this is the major reason that business-related intents are so high.  The top business intents are:

• Online banking – 46%
• Check bill/credit card status – 40%
• Read business blogs – 33%

Mobile phones are used for advocacy.  Nearly half of mobile users (49%) go online to advocate compared to only 41% of traditional users.  In fact, they (67%) are 1.4 times more likely than traditional users (47%) to activate support.  Mobile phones offer users the chance to immediately respond to breaking news, whether it is a new piece of legislation or even the latest ongoing development of a corporation or politician under siege.  The top advocacy intents are:

• Activate support for a cause or position – 67%
• Post opinions on social networking sites – 45%
• Forward content on a cause – 40%

Mobile phones are not a learning tool.  Mobile users (76%) are much less likely than all users (92%) to go online to learn.  Learning requires time and patience, something mobile phone users are in short supply of.  

• They (64%) are 1.5 times less likely than the traditional user (96%) to go online to educate themselves
• They (64%) are 1.4 times less likely than the traditional user (94%) to go online to research.
• They (95%) are more likely than the traditional user (86%) to go online to keep informed.

Intent of Mobile Phone Users Differ by Gender and Age

• Women express themselves while men do business.  Women are much more likely than men to personally express themselves (49% vs. 35%) but men are much more likely to do business (62% vs. 57%).
• Men want to get away.  Men (79%) are much more likely than women (61%) to use their mobile phone to simply "escape."
• Women want to make others laugh.  Many more women (70%) than men (58%) go online using their mobile devices to entertain others.
• Youth are the target for retailers. Youth (44%) are more likely to shop over their mobile phones than the average mobile user (35%).
• Seniors want to learn. Seniors (82%) are much more likely than the traditional user (64%) to use their mobile phones to educate themselves.

About the Mobile Intent Index (http://intentindex.com/mobile)

Ruder Finn's Mobile Intent Index is the first study of its kind to examine the underlying motivations or reasons – intents – people have for using their mobile phones.  The representative and Census-balanced online study of 500 American adults 18 years of age and older who "use their mobile device to go online or to access the Internet" was conducted in November 2009 by RF Insights among respondents who belong to Western Wats' large consumer panel, Opinion Outpost.  The margin of error is +/- 4.4% (95th confidence interval).