Small Business Technology News

Which Industry Is The Most Searched On Mobile Devices?

Written by Tim Morral
Published: 4/29/2013

New research shows that mobile users search for restaurants more than any other type of small business.

Consumers use mobile devices for a range of personal and business activities. In addition to texting, social media and other mobile functions, today's consumers use their devices to shop for products, perform price comparisons and search for small businesses.

Mobile Search - Most Popular Industry

But mobile users don't search for all small businesses in equal measure. According to a recent report by SinglePlatform at Constant Contact and research firm Chadwick Martin Bailey, restaurants receive more mobile search attention than any other industry.

A decisive majority of consumers (81%) have searched for a restaurant using a mobile app in the past six months. Ninety-two percent have used a web browser to search for restaurants during the same time period--significantly more than the number of consumers who have searched for businesses in the entertainment, retail, hospitality and personal services industries.

The findings of the report reinforce the importance of mobile and web-based marketing for small restaurants. In today's marketplace, restaurants that don't allow customers to view menus and other information on mobile devices lose market share. As a result, engaging small business websites that are mobile-optimized are quickly becoming a prerequisite for all restaurants.

Additional findings from the study include:

  • 75 percent of consumers select restaurants based on search results.
  • iPhones dominate restaurant searches and are responsible for more mobile searches than any other platform.
  • Four out of five consumers believe it's important to see a menu before they visit a restaurant; 70 percent want to read menus on mobile devices.
  • Consumers (62%) are less likely to choose a restaurant if they can't read the menu on a mobile device.

"The results of this survey clearly indicate the need for restaurants to ensure that their menu information is up to date across all online platforms," said Wiley Cerilli, vice president and general manager at SinglePlatform. "When you take into consideration that 80 percent of consumers think it's important to see a menu before they dine at a restaurant, restaurants stand to tremendously benefit in managing their menus wherever consumers see them."

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