OPA Study Defines Today's Smartphone User

NEW YORK, Aug. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Online Publishers Association (OPA) has released "A Portrait of Today's Smartphone User," providing insight into the developing attitudes and behaviors of today's smartphone consumer. The study found that over two-thirds of smartphone owners reported that they "cannot live without" their smartphones.

The OPA collaborated with Frank N. Magid Associates, Inc. to conduct the study, which found that the population of smartphone users is growing rapidly. An estimated 44% of the U.S. internet population, ages 8-64, owns a smartphone (107 million consumers*), up from 31% in 2011 (73 million consumers*) and expected to reach 57% by Q2 2013 (142 million consumers*). Aside from making phone calls, 93% of smartphone users regularly access content and information above any other activity, followed by accessing the internet (59%) and checking email (58%). The primary types of content smartphone consumers access are weather information (47%), video (31%), local news (29%) and national news (24%).

"Over the past few years, there has been an undeniable shift in the way consumers access content and information as well as stay informed and entertained. Consumers now expect the world at their fingertips anytime, anywhere, and publishers have worked vigorously to optimize their mobile sites and create apps that cater to this demand and behavioral shift," said Pam Horan, President of the OPA. "Our study revealed that smartphones are providing a great monetization opportunity for publishers. With over half of smartphone users accessing content on a daily basis, this growing smartphone population is showing a willingness to pay for content. Twenty-four percent of users report that they have purchased any type of content for viewing on their smartphones."

The study also assessed the attitudes of smartphone users towards mobile advertising and revealed that in the six months prior to the survey, 39% of the all smartphone content consumers have been driven to take action after seeing a smartphone ad. Fifteen percent of all smartphone content consumers have clicked through an advertisement, 12% have used a special offer or coupon and 12% have made a purchase either on a PC or at a store. According to the study, purchasers of smartphone content were a much more engaged and active audience: 79% have taken action after seeing an ad, 31% have clicked through an ad, 30% have used a special offer or coupon, 27% have made a purchase on a PC and 24% have made a purchase at a store as a direct result of an ad.

"Smartphone content purchasers are a substantial subset of the general smartphone population that is showing not only receptiveness to ads but also more positive opinions towards ads than smartphone content consumers as a whole. Twenty-nine percent of smartphone content purchasers indicate that smartphone ads are eye-catching, 26% report that ads are relevant and 25% report that ads are unique and interesting, compared to 17%, 15% and 14%, respectively, for all smartphone content consumers," added Horan.

Other key findings from "A Portrait of Today's Smartphone User," include: