9 in 10 Mobile Map Users Access while Driving

July 19, 2011

This article is included in these additional categories:

Analytics, Automated & MarTech | Data-driven | Media & Entertainment | Mobile Phone | Retail & E-Commerce | Technology | Telecom

comscore-mobile-map-access-may-11-july-2011.JPGAlmost nine in 10 (89%) US mobile map users were driving in a car or other vehicle when using a mobile map during May 2011, according to comScore MobiLens data. Another 17% used mobile maps while walking, running or biking (more than one answer permitted), and 14% used mobile maps from public transit.

Graphical Maps w/Turn-by-Turn Directions Most Used

The most utilized types of mobile maps in May 2011 were graphical maps with turn-by-turn directions (64% of mobile maps users), followed by 48.3% using a graphical map without turn-by-turn directions and 46% using turn-by-turn directions without a graphical map.

Map App Audience Doubles

comscore-map-category-may-11-july-2011.JPGApplications represented the primary access point for approximately two-thirds of smartphone map users (up 98%), while browser map access was about half as popular as apps and grew at half the rate.

Meanwhile, the number of smartphone map users (which accounted for four out of every five mobile map users) reached 38.2 million in May, an increase of 75% from the previous year and outpacing the total smartphone audience growth of 57%.

Mobile Map Access Grows 39%

comscore-mobile-map-access-may-11-july-20111.JPGMobiLens data indicates 48 million mobile users accessed maps on their mobile device during the three-month average period ending May 2011, an increase of 39% from almost 35 million the previous year, driven in large part by the increase in smartphone adoption (see above).

A comparative look at map usage among fixed-internet users (i.e., accessing from a home or work computer) found that map visitation saw a slight decline in total audience in May 2011 compared to the previous year, dipping 2%, while still maintaining a substantially larger audience of 93.8 million visitors.

comScore analysis suggests strong growth in mobile map usage and flattening of desktop map usage is indicative of broader behavioral shifts being wrought by smartphones and demonstrates the potential held by just-in-time data.

Maps Popular w/Mobile Auto Campaigns

Two-thirds (67%) of mobile auto ad campaigns feature a post-click action of site search, store locator, and/or viewing a map, according to the May 2011 Millennial Media SMART Report. These rates are all from three to more than four times as high as the rates of overall mobile campaigns featuring these post-click actions.

Meanwhile, mobile auto advertisers are only about one-fifth as likely (7% compared to 34%) to have a post-click action of enrolling/joining. Mobile auto advertisers also have much lower rates of including mobile social media and application download, but are close to 50% more likely to have placing a call as a post-click action.

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