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Google: Mobile made up 47pc of Olympic searches in first two days

During the first two days of the Olympics, nearly half of related queries in the United States came from smartphones and tablets, according to research from Google.

Google reports that for the first week of the Olympics, mobile searches made for related content increased by ten times. Additionally, findings break down mobile usage by time of day and country.

"Consumers turn to different devices based on convenience and context ? so if they're out and about and want to check the latest on the Olympics they're likely to use their smartphones because people always have their phones with them ? and for tablets, they're often using these while watching TV or when they're traveling," said Dai Pham, marketing manager of mobile ads at Google, Mountain View, CA.

"We see a strong pattern of mobile searches spiking during popular live events around the world," she said. "People want immediate information and smartphones and tablets can provide quick answers, whether they are at the sporting venue, at friends' homes or at a bar watching the event."

Instant information
In addition to the U.S., Google found high numbers of mobile searches being made worldwide.

For example, 46 percent of queries made in Britain came from mobile for the first two days of the games. Mobile also claimed 44 percent of searches in the Netherlands and 37 percent in Israel.

Fifty-five percent of searches made during the timeframe in Japan came from mobile, showing how in some countries mobile has become the predominant way that consumers access information.

Also in Asia, South Korea claimed 36 percent of searches being made from mobile.

Other countries with either more than or roughly 30 percent of mobile traffic include Puerto Rico, Kuwait, Germany, France and Canada.

Google also looked at how smartphone and tablet searches differed on several islands including the Cayman Islands, the Bahamas and Bermuda.

In the Cayman Islands and Bermuda, tablet searches were the predominant mobile device with 18 percent of total search traffic. Mobile searches made from a smartphone accounted for nine percent of traffic in the Cayman Islands and seven percent in Bermuda.

Mobile mindset
Google also looked specifically at mobile and desktop searches being made for Paul McCartney, who performed at the Olympic Opening Ceremony, during local broadcasts.

Between Europe and the U.S., there were a greater volume of searches in Europe with smartphones ranking as the No. 1 device for searches followed by desktops and tablets.

In the U.S., a greater number of both mobile and desktop searches were made on the East Coast with smartphones again ranking as the top device for searches. Interestingly, searches made from tablets and desktops in both areas of the U.S. were nearly equal in volume to each other, showing how the tablet has become the go-to device for looking up information while watching TV.

The Olympics are not the only recent event claiming a large share of mobile searches. 

After the Superbowl this year, Google reported that 41 percent of online searches during the game came from mobile (see story).

With consumers often using multiple devices while watching live events on TV, the number of mobile-driven searches for multiscreen events is likely to continue to grow in the future. 

"Savvy brand advertisers recognize that today's consumer is a multiscreen consumer and they're often searching for things on their mobile devices that they see broadcasted live on TV or see happening at the stadium, whether that be to find more information about an athlete or an ad," Ms. Pham said.

"Advertisers need to have integrated marketing campaigns that include mobile search to tap into consumers' cross-media usage," she said.

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is associate reporter on Mobile Marketer, New York