Digital Lifescapes

comScore, Inc. reported that the number of people who sought local information on a mobile device grew 51 percent from March 2008 to March 2009. The mobile browser is the leading access method for seeking local information, with 20.7 million users in March 2009, up 34 percent versus year ago. Moreover, the strongest growth in the category is coming from downloaded applications, which grew 83 percent versus year ago, followed by SMS at 72 percent. However, despite the attention mobile applications have received from developers, carriers and device OEMs, they remain the least popular access mode for mobile access of local information, with 11.3 million users in March. A marginally more often used channel for obtaining local information is SMS, with 11.7 million users, and an impressive 72-percent growth rate. Overwhelmingly, though, the preferred mode to access local content remains the mobile browser. "Given the explosion in application stores and associated marketing efforts, alon...

Local advertising in the U.S. is in for a big change, according to the latest overall industry assessment by eMarketer. The bad news, according to the Kelsey Group and BIA Advisory Services, is that there will be a decline in the local advertising market in 2013 when compared to 2008. "By the end of the forecast period, the overall size of the local advertising market will be considerably smaller than it was at the end of 2008," said Tom Buono of BIA. The research firms predict a negative compound annual -1.4 percent overall growth rate, with the largest drop-off in local ad spending occurring this year. Spending on traditional local media is forecast to dramatically fall from $141.3 billion in 2008 to barely over $112 billion in 2013. The good news is that the local online ad market is growing, and will continue to make up a larger percentage of the local advertising sector. In 2009, nearly 12 percent of local ad spending will be digital, with dollars focused on Internet yel...