Where do mobile users spend their time, and what does this mean for business owners?

This week, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) released their latest study comparing mobile web usage to app usage across the U.S.

Now if you were to guess, would you say that people browsed more on the mobile web, or instead turned to apps?

The answer: Both.

As the IAB’s report relates, “In practice, in daily use of the mobile internet, consumers make user of both apps and mobile browsing, trading off based on expediency and personal preference.”

Or, in short: whether they use apps or mobile web depends on what, exactly, they’re trying to do.

As one key finding states, “For some important content types, app and web usage is very balanced. 42% of mobile internet users prefer mobile web for search, and app-web preferences are balanced for shopping, news, and local directory information.”

That point is well explained in the included graph, below:

So what does this mean for business owners?

Depending on the task at hand, consumers can be nudged toward either mobile web use or app use. Optimize your business website’s content for mobile, if you haven’t already. Also, find some way to put resources toward app development if it makes sense for your company. As the IAB report recommends, “Including both in media plans will help to maximize chances of achieving target reach and frequency goals for a campaign.”

Find the full report here:

Apps and Mobile Web: Understanding the Two Sides of the Mobile Coin