Text Messages Drive Mobile Data Growth

• Posted: Tuesday, September 23, 2008
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• Author: pradhana
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• Filed under: Market Survey, Texting

Medium demands savvy use by marketers

Mobile data service revenues in the US rose to $14.8 billion for the first half of 2008, according to the CTIA. That was up 40% over the first half of 2007, when data revenues reached $10.5 billion. Mobile data now accounts for one-fifth of all mobile revenues.

Text messaging is a big reason for the jump in mobile data revenues. The CTIA said Americans sent 75 billion text messages in June 2008 alone. Texts are part of a trend toward using mobile handsets to do more than just talk.

"More and more people are using wireless devices to access the Internet, take photos, get directions, watch videos, download music and send text messages," said Steve Largent, CEO of the CTIA, in a statement.

For marketers, the rise in texting does not necessarily mean that every campaign should now contain a 160-character message. In a February 2008 study by ExactTarget, only 1% of US Internet users who had opted in to marketing lists said they preferred to get that information as texts. Instead, the medium should be used where it is most appropriate and welcomed by mobile users.

However, consumers—especially young ones—will use text messages themselves to spread the word about their favorite products when they so desire.

More than three out of 10 US Internet users ages 18 to 24 surveyed by BIGresearch last year said that after online searches, they were likely to use text messages to communicate about services, products and brands.

Read more - eMarketer

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