With Americans consuming more media on mobile devices than any other channel, advertisers are finding mobile to be an effective way to influence consumers, according to a new report from InMobi.

Independent mobile advertising network InMobi found that Americans spend 2.4 hours consuming media on mobile devices compared with 2.35 hours for TV and 1.6 hours on PCs. Additionally, 59 percent of consumers say they are influenced by mobile ads compared with 57 percent who are influenced by TV ads.

?The report finds that mobile ads now have the largest impact of all media channels on U.S. consumers? purchase process, with 59 percent of consumers saying their purchases are influenced by mobile ads, followed by 57 percent influenced by TV ads,? said Anne Frisbee, vice president and managing director for North America at InMobi, Palo Alto, CA.

?Perhaps the most potential lies in the finding that mobile advertising drives mobile buying, as m-commerce has grown 21 percent since Q4 2011,? she said. ?Consumers are not only reporting to be comfortable with mobile ads, but they are listening to them, discovering new things and purchasing goods.?

Mobile advertising is effective
InMobi expects media consumption on mobile devices to continue to grow and even accelerate as advances in mobile rich media offer a better overall user experience. This will lead to marketers investing more in mobile, since this is where consumers are spending most of their time consuming media.

The report also found that mobile advertising is proving to be effective, as 53 percent of United States mobile users say they have been introduced to something new via their mobile device and 21 percent are buying goods on their mobile device.

Other key findings in the report, U.S. Mobile Media Consumption Report for Q2 2012, include that U.S. consumers are engaging in mobile activities more often and consistently throughout the day. Seventy one percent use mobile search while 64 percent use mobile Internet.

The report also reveals that U.S. consumers are often in casual settings when using their mobile device, with 77 percent most often lying in bed, 70 percent watching TV and 65 percent waiting for something.

Additionally, InMobi found that consumers are using mobile most during the early morning and early evening hours and throughout the evening, suggesting that mobile is a popular activity while consumers are waiting for a train or bus on the way to work and while they are watching TV or resting in the evening.

The mobile woman
On average, women access their mobile device more than men. For example, 84 percent of women access a mobile device while in bed compared with 70 percent of men and 40 percent of women also access their mobile device while shopping compared with 26 percent of men.

Other key findings include that 65 percent of users say they prefer mobile because ?it?s easy to use? and 56 percent say that they use mobile most because it is constantly with them.

InMobi suggests marketers optimize their mobile strategies by integrating mobile campaigns into other channels, including pairing in-app and mobile Web advertising with promotions in physical retail stores, and online and print advertising.

?Mobile is redefining digital media, and brands are definitely taking note,? Ms. Frisbee said. ?Mobile commerce has had a tremendous impact on driving mobile media consumption, driven by digital goods, physical goods, services and bill payments.

?Our report findings predict that 71 percent of mobile consumers will spend money on a mobile-related activity over the next year,? she said.

?Modern consumers run their whole life on mobile, and mobile apps are essential to them. Consumers? love affair with mobile will continue to grow and brands will follow.?

Final Take
Chantal Tode is associate editor on Mobile Marketer, New York