Apple Doesn’t Lead the Pack in Mobile Advertising, and You’ll Never Guess Who Does!
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Operating System Click Through Rate Worldwide Q3 2011
The iPhone and the iPad top a lot of statistic charts, but in a new study of global mobile advertising metrics for Q3 of 2011 from mobile ad optimization network Smaato Inc., Apple’s click through rate falls below that of Microsoft (156), Symbian (130), and Rim (113). Android (84) is only slightly behind Apple (89).
The numbers are only slightly different in the United States, with the Windows Phone taking the top spot, RIM’s BlackBerry in second, Symbian in third, and Apple once again in fourth place in mobile ad network performance.
This information isn’t great news for iOS and Android developers who are relying on mobile ads to monetize their apps. iPhone and Android have some of the highest inventories, but much lower click rates than competitors like the Windows Phone. High click throughs can mean that the platform is easier to monetize through advertising rather than in-app purchases or paid apps, important on a less popular platform.
Windows and Symbian phones lack a developed app purchasing system, which means that targeted ads are an established way for developers to make money on their content. Without a sound alternative, developers have no choice but to inundate such apps with ads, and that’s why you see the Windows Phone at the top of this list.
Is the Windows Phone the equivalent of a pocket-sized billboard? It sure seems like it when there are so few users but so many ad click-through. The average Windows Phone user is likely seeing quite a few more ads than his iPhone or Android owning friends. Do you own a Windows Phone, a Symbian phone, or a BlackBerry? Have you noticed more apps with ads? Let us know in the comments.
