Comments on: When �Local Mobile� is Just Mobile Search

By: Bryson Meunier

Bryson Meunier — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:57:53 +0000

Maya, interesting point. It’s true Yahoo! isn’t the only place where mobile users look for information. Google search and the Weather channel are more popular channels according to Nielsen Mobile’s critical mass report. Do you have any other statistics that speak to your point about local searchers on mobile devices favoring vertical engines? Is it more than 9%? More than 40%? Just curious, as I don’t think it would change what I’m saying, regardless. My point is that search on mobile devices is not always local in nature, as the phrase “local mobile search” being misapplied to search on mobile devices would lead us to believe. Even if search on the less popular vertical channels was 100% local, it wouldn’t negate the fact that mobile searchers in general aren’t always looking for local information, and the general “local mobile” terminology that’s often applied to the space is erroneous. Thanks for your comment. Best, Bryson

By: Paul

Paul — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 17:52:51 +0000

Seems to me that the confusion stems not from the types but the terminology. We’re familiar with, primarily and as Maya points out, 2 classifications for search: web and vertical. Vertical further distinguishes dozens of types including Local, Shopping, Video, etc.
In this context, there is no such thing as Mobile Search; that is, search for mobile things. I suppose you could build a mobile search engine that only indexes vehicles or cell phone plans and options (something I would personally love!). It is not the type of search that is confusing but the context of the terminology.
What do you mean by Mobile search? You are referring to search through a mobile device; search that requires much greater relevance to serve the right response in only 2-3 results. Mobile devices also have the benefit of conceptually being much more local than a desktop search, a mobile search could take place from a street corner, but in truth the experience isn’t much different: I can take my laptop to that same street corner and perform a local search.
That last point can be confusing so what am I getting at? Local search though a mobile device simply demands much greater sophistication to deliver a positive user experience. Given the construct we’ve defined for the industry, there is no such thing as “Mobile Search” – rather, there is search on a mobile device, the same search options as those which we’ve enabled through a desktop: Web and Vertical.

By: Pidech Pinich

Pidech Pinich — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 02:53:05 +0000

Thank you. From Name: Pidech Pinich 32/3.Bandoo.Mang.Chiang Rai.57100.Thailand. Email: Pidech_7979@hotmail.com

By: bob rosner

bob rosner — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 19:04:02 +0000

Too often the industry tries to drive the market as opposed to observing what the market wants, or for that matter what they really need. AT&T recently ran a TV spot for their wireless connection service that depicts a landscaper and his crew getting a job because he could “check inventory, get a quote and get the job”. Is the true potential of mobile going to be realized by what today’s teens and young adults decide how they want to use it?

Eric is probably on mark with the lack of indexing and optimization. I’m hoping to help one of my clients maximize their mobile opportunity and will follow your thoughts on the topic.

By: Maya

Maya — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:42:44 +0000

Bryson, I think what is being overlooked here is the context of that statistic. Yahoo, like Google is a generic search engine. Ask YellowPages.com how much of their search on mobile is local, or Weather.com or CitySearch. I think what you are seeing is mobile consumers turning to vertical search engines for their local information – especially on the mobile device.

By: Eric Chan

Eric Chan — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 01:50:07 +0000

Bryson,

I sincerely appreciate the thoughts presented in this post. Having been in both the Internet Search and Mobile Search space as a White-Label software vendor, there are very large differences between how a desktop-initiated vs. a mobile-initiated search is performed. Mobile-initiated searches can be incredibly more complex and certainly more than just local search.

I would also state that mobile search suffers from several critical problems, two of many are the lack of indexing of mobile sites and lack of SEO for digital content. I would argue that large physical brands want the same results as large digital brands — successful conversion to consumption of their products and services, not simply amassing the largest collection of eyeballs.

By: Bena Roberts

Bena Roberts — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 18:39:38 +0000

Bryson, I spoke to a couple of people who attended SMX and they said that people were getting confused with local and mobile – thinking all mobile search was local. So, even though I wasn’t there – I am going to agree with you.