Trend: Mobile web use dominated by search

A new study issued by digital marketing agency iCrossing reports while only 30 percent of mobile subscribers access the web via handset, 75 percent of those who do so conduct searches, expressing a clear preference for major search engine brands like Google and Yahoo over carriers' mobile platforms. According to iCrossing, maps/directions, weather and local information are the content categories most commonly sought by mobile searchers, although about 75 of respondents said they are unwilling to browse past the second page of search results. In addition, 84 percent of mobile searchers said they expect dedicated mobile versions of the sites they frequent.

"The type of content users seek varies greatly, but websites must be positioned in at most the first two pages of results in order to earn users' clicks," iCrossing writes. "In addition, sites must be optimized carefully so they can be captured in a maximum of three keywords. Convenience, ease of use, speed and relevancy are the values that must remain at the forefront of this ongoing effort."

For more on the iCrossing study:
- read this release

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