A new survey and associated infographic released by Media Mosaic has identified seven key mobile media trends in 2014, revealing that the ongoing trend in mobile search by local consumers has become so popular that generational lines have been slashed. What’s more, the trend shows that mobile platforms appear to be significantly local.

Consumers who are shopping and considering a purchase, or who are looking for a store or restaurant, are using mobile platforms, more and more. By using their tablets or smartphones to secure information on their potential choices, shops and restaurants are able to increase marketing to drive in-store traffic and gain favorable reviews once a transaction is made.

The just published “Local Mobile Trends Study,” conducted by Thrive Analytics and released by the Local Search Associations, also writes that Facebook is head and shoulders above all other apps when it comes to writing local reviews on smartphones and tablets. The survey also shows that, despite conventional thinking, mobile devices are being used by local consumers of all ages using the devices to comparison shop while in stores. Although younger groups represent the greatest users—Gen Ys (18-29) rely on their devices when shopping in stores 97 percent of the time, followed by Gen Xers (30-43) at 91 percent, and young boomers (44-53) at 81 percent—older Baby Boomers and seniors who are 54 years of age and older, came in at a surprisingly high 69 percent.

The survey involved over 1,000 smartphone users in the United States and included questions concerning their writing of such reviews and the device on which users preferred to write their reviews. In the participants who were under 53 years of age, most—70 percent—indicated that they had written at least one review online.

While most review writers use Facebook as their app of choice, Google, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Foursquare, and OpenTable were also used, among others. The findings, according to Screenwerk, show how Facebook presents a key opportunity on which the site has not yet fully seized.

The survey also asked about respondents’ about their local search activity, by category. The top categories over which local search activity was focused in the 30 days prior to the survey date included:

  • Restaurants: 47 percent
  • Pizza: 44 percent
  • Retail stores: 38 percent
  • Banks: 22 percent
  • Doctors/hospitals: 19 percent
  • Travel services: 18 percent
  • Insurance: 16 percent
  • Auto dealers: 14 percent
  • Auto repair : 4 percent
  • Pet care:13 percent
  • Real estate: 11 percent

In all, the respondents indicated that nearly half—47 percent—of their local search activity was associated with restaurants, while 11 percent was related to real estate. Doctors and hospitals were heavily searched at 22 percent, while retail shopping (38 percent) outpaced travel at 18 percent. Although auto dealers ranked at 14 percent, auto repair was among the lowest ranking category at 4 percent in the top categories.

Reference:

Sterling, Greg. “Survey: Facebook the Top Mobile App for Writing Local Reviews”; Screenwerk. April 15, 2014.

Rollison, Damian. Street Fight; “Recent Studies Show Mobile’s Broadening Reach”; Street Fight. April 17, 2014.