Mobile Search

Definition - What does Mobile Search mean?

Mobile search is a search engine querying technique that uses a wireless/mobile platform or handheld device with an Internet connection, such as a smartphone or tablet. Mobile search is typically location-specific with simplified data results, such as sports scores, versus a standard Web search.

Mobile search is more than a desktop to mobile device transition, as it is a continuously evolving tool designed to satisfy mobile user content requirements.

Techopedia explains Mobile Search

Most organizations tailor website content to mobile devices. Ideally, mobile search results return within 30 seconds. However, fewer than 36 percent of services deliver such results, due to device screen sizes and overall capability limitations. Mobile search challenges are shared by product designers, developers, financial media analysts, analytic engines, media planners and buyers.

Types of mobile search include:

Search engines optimized for mobile devices
Question and answer services
Directory search
Discovery search, such as recommending services or products based on user preferences and purchases
Mobile navigation services
Recent dynamic mobile selection interface services (like push-to-talk), providing thousands of screened and categorized selections in four seconds or less, eliminating standard requirements like text entry, search, results review or page scrolling

According to a June 2011 Gartner research report, global mobile advertising will double in 2011 from $1.6 billion (2010) to $3.3 billion. By 2015, overall global revenue will hit $20.6 billion, with the mobile search channel at the top of the list, followed by audio and video advertising.

Mobile search providers include Ask.com, Ask Me Now, ChaCha, Infospace, Jumptap and Texperts.