Digital marketing firm Performics has come out with projections indicating paid clicks from mobile search will account for more than 16% of all Google’s paid search clicks by the end of the year, up from about 3.5% in January 2010.
The firm also noted that mobile search costs per click are, on average, 59% lower than desktop CPCs and continue to fall month over month, making mobile a highly efficient channel for advertisers. “While 2010 wasn’t quite the year for mobile search, mobile impressions and clicks did surge in Q4, indicating that 2011 could be mobile search’s breakout year,” writes James Beveridge, senior analyst, planning and analytics, Performics.
While mobile search continues to grow, mobile paid search conversion is not as strong as PC Web search has traditionally been. “Conversion rates are still lower for mobile search than desktop, suggesting that advertisers should focus on improving mobile site experience,” Beveridge writes. And all the data combined leads to one conclusion, he adds. “The trends all point in one direction—that mobile paid search will be an essential part of a successful 2011 performance marketing program.”
