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Internet search now includes the mobile handset in its domain. It is not a novelty per se; it is simply a new territory in the Web's net, with the nature of mobile search being different from PC-based search. Mobile search provides information on-the-go and is consumption driven. For marketers, this phenomenon translates into an opportunity to customize advertisements specific to users' search behavior.
 
Mobile search is a young, promising market and regardless of who is leading at the moment, the field is wide open. The mobile search market is very competitive at the moment and although the traditional search engines have a head start in terms of financial muscle and experience, the newcomers to this fledgling industry do have a fair chance against them.
 
Analysts believe as mobile data speeds improve and charges reduce, mobile search is going to gain traction. Technological advances and increased custom content for mobile handsets, such as local digital information, will be the main drivers for mobile search. Western Europe is witness to this trend and Eastern Asia is expected to follow suit. Relevance of search and hassle-free user experience will have important roles to play. Above all these factors, the all-time mobility feature provided by mobile phones is the major driver for mobile search.
 
Different business models have come into play to cash in on the new trend. Analysts expect mobile search to create value for all stakeholders in the mobile search ecosystem. The maximum revenue is expected to come from advertising. Behavioral targeting is gaining momentum with marketers using sophisticated data analytical methods to analyze consumer behavior. Analysts expect local search to account for a major chunk of advertising revenues.
 
Premium content will also be a major area of focus, particularly for mobile operators looking to drive average revenue per user (ARPU). At present, music downloads and ringtones comprise the majority usage of mobile search. However, with improving quality and increasing quantity of local search information, analysts expect local search to be the killer application of mobile search. Data traffic revenues are also expected to contribute to operators' kitty. Apart from this, mobile search will also give a boost to related industries such as Web browser development and will lead to an increase in demand for high-end phones.
 
However, certain pain points need to be addressed if mobile search is to achieve mass market status. Data charges are high at present and user interfaces leave a lot to be desired. Besides, consumer awareness is low. Analysts expect these challenges to be addressed over time with the gradual evolution of technology.
 
The utility of mobile search fits in with the current socio-economic environment. When consumer experience matches up to that offered by Internet search on PCs, mobile search will have truly arrived.
 
Mobile search is the process of searching content on the Web over a mobile phone and is a logical evolution of Internet search.
 
Mobile search is in its infancy and has immense scope for innovation. As market players grapple to strike the perfect chord with the consumer, innovative business models are giving competition to the market leaders of traditional search. Marketers too are optimistic about the opportunity generated by mobile search.
 
Local search and music downloads are expected to contribute significantly to mobile search usage. It is believed that quality of service and user experience will be the major differentiators for service providers.
 
There are roadblocks, such as poor user interface and lack of consumer awareness, which can be overcome with advancements in technology and promotion of the benefits of mobile search.
 
Our partners at Analysts Perspectives present an overview of observations about the concept of mobile search and opinions and predictions about its future prospects.
 
Some key findings include the fact that almost 30 percent of the global mobile subscriber base, around 1.3 billion users, is expected to be using local mobile search services by 2013; annual advertising spent on mobile search will reach USD 445 million in 2008, rising to more than USD 2 billion in 2013; and mobile search revenues are projected to reach USD 4.8 billion in 2013, up from USD 1.5 billion in 2008.