15m Brits planning to watch the World Cup final on mobile

Over a fifth of Brits (22 per cent) plan to watch the World cup final on their smartphones and tablets this Sunday, according to new research from experience analytics firms Clicktale, which has examined the types of content that most appeal to mobile users.

The research, which surveyed over 1000 consumers, found that, of those who planned to watch, only half (52 per cent) will be watching the World Cup final on television, while only seven per cent planned to watch on a laptop or desktop computer. Six per cent of Brits plan to tune into the final on their radios.

The findings were part of a wider research project with the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Using the Clicktale platform, the Wharton School analysed the anonymised browsing behaviours of over 1m digital consumers to find out what types of content most appeal on mobile devices versus desktop computers.

In keeping with the World Cup statistics, the research found that smartphone use fosters a preference for sports-related, pop culture and ‘guilty pleasures’ content, rather than hard facts or news. In fact, mobile browsers are 35 per cent most likely to engage with content that is entertaining or sports-related.

“This has been the first ever truly omnichannel World Cup, highlighting many fans are now looking to consumer sports content on a wide variety of devices,” said Geoff Galat, chief marketing officer at Clicktale. “Despite this fact, many brands are still creating one-size fits-all content to distribute across multiple channels.

“Our research with the Wharton School has shown that when using a smartphone, consumers have a distinct mindset that influences the types of content that they want to consume. It’s only by embracing this ‘mobile mindset’, and tailoring their approaches accordingly, that brands can create genuinely impactful content and digital experience.”