– 15% annual increase in people who prefer to use a phone to read the news, 17% decline for desktop computers
– 39% access the internet on their phones at least once every hour
– Mobile advertising four times more effective than desktop
BBC World News and BBC.com/news have released results of the world’s first global study into the usage of mobile devices by affluent consumers. When asked which single device they prefer to use for news, the number of affluent consumers who named mobile phones has risen by 15% since 2012 and tablets up by 9%. In contrast, those who say they prefer desktop has decreased by 17%.
The study surveyed 6,000 smartphone owners in Australia, Germany, Sweden, India, Hong Kong and the US. It compared the habits of affluent consumers – the highest 20% income earners in each country – to those of the general population. Additional key findings include:
· 51% of affluent consumers use their mobile phone for business, compared to 40% of the general population.
· Affluent consumers are 18% more likely to share their location to get relevant services than the general population.
· News apps are most used mobile phone apps for affluent consumers, whilst social network apps are favoured by the general population.
· A third of affluent consumers agree that, if a brand wants to be modern and dynamic, it needs to be on mobile – 15% higher than the general population.
· Mobile advertising is twice as effective as the desktop in driving key brand metrics such as awareness, favourability and purchase intent amongst the total population. This figure rises to four times as effective for affluent consumers.
· High income earners are as positive towards advertising on mobile (19%) as desktop (18%). The percentage who are happy to see ads on mobile websites rises to 41% for sites where content is free.
The results reveal the increasing importance of smartphones to affluent consumers and demonstrate the extent to which mobile devices are integrated into personal and, crucially, business lives, as improved technology enables greater engagement with content. The study also provides clear evidence that affluent consumers, who make up a large proportion of the BBC World News and BBC.com/news audience, are significantly more receptive to mobile advertising than the general population.
