Google and the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) have released the initial findings from a global research initiative entitled: Global Mobile Research: The Smartphone User & The Mobile Marketer.
The research was conducted by Ipsos GmbH and TNS Infratest and sought to better understand mobile usage trends and business’ readiness for mobile marketing strategies. The study consisted of two surveys: an online survey of thousands of mobile consumers in 30 countries; and a telephone survey of 1,000 marketing decision makers, 200 each in five key markets. The initial results are a subset of the data, focusing on five countries: the UK, US, France, Germany and Japan.
The study found that a significant number of smartphone users accessed the internet via their smartphone every day of the past seven days. Japan led the way on 78 per cent, led by France (59 per cent), US (58 per cent) , UK(55 per cent), and Germany 45 per cent. Many users do online via their smartphones multiple times a day. Again, Japan leads on 68 per cent, followed by US (53 per cent), UK (49 per cent), France (47 per cent), and Germany (42).
When it comes to the type of activities smartphone users are engaged in on their phone, searching for local information is extremely popular, cited by 90 per cent of respondents in the US and Japan, 85 per cent in German, 83 per cent in France, and 81 per cent in the UK. After looking up local content, smartphone users show a high propensity to act on it, with the US leading the way on 87 per cent, France on 83 per cent, the UK and Japan on 80 per cent, and Germany on 79 per cent. 
The research also found that the smartphone is playing a critical role in shopping. 82 per cent of consumers in the US and France use their smartphone while in a store, while the figures for Japan, the UK and Germany, are 75, US-82%, UK-68%, France-82%, Germany-65%, Japan-75%68 and 65 per cent, respectively. When it comes to making purchases on smartphones, Japan is way out ahead on 45 per cent, followed by the US on 29 per cent, the UK and Germany on 28 per cent, and France on 17 per cent.
The other part of the research looked at marketers’ approach to mobile. Here, the study revealed that only a fraction of businesses have mobile-optimized sites. Again, Japan is out front on 43 per cent, followed by Germany on 37 per cent, the US on 33 per cent, the UK on 17 per cent, and France once again trailing on 12 per cent. The picture for apps looks different, with 26 per cent of German businesses reporting that they have an app, followed by the US on 19 per cent, the UK on 18 per cent, France on 18 per cent, and Japan on 10 per cent.
Google and the MMA conclude that while the mobile revolution is moving at different speeds across the globe, it is evident everywhere. They add that businesses seem to be lagging behind the consumer in terms of use and support of mobile marketing, noting that this represents a significant opportunity.
