When searching for products, places and people the internet has become the ‘go to’ media of choice. In fact, according to a recent Nielsen study, in a little over 6,000 days this media has amassed a whopping 500 million searches a day.

For merchants wanting to cash in on the online search and buy trend, having a functional web site that is search engine friendly along with a strategic search marketing program is a must in the race to be ‘found’. But it is also equally important to have a mobile friendly web site to meet the needs of the rising trend of on-the-go mobile searchers. With approximately 2 billion mobile devices worldwide mobile search is an indispensable tool.

According to a comScore study, the month of June 2009 saw 20.8 million mobile search users in the U.S. alone. This was a 68% increase from the same month in the previous year. Alistair Hill, a comScore analyst, observed that, “. . . as we see the number of mobile search users increase, the frequency of activity is also growing.”

The difference between internet searchers and mobile searchers is mainly in the type of information they seek.

Computer internet searchers seek comprehensive information such as background information on a company or subject, research material, or facts on subjects of personal interest

Mobile searchers seek up-to-the-minute and actionable information such as: sports scores, movie times, and restaurant locations. As well, due to the quick accessibility and instant gratification, mobile searchers are more inclined to act on impulse buys. A good example is in the ability to instantly download a song immediately after hearing it on the radio.

The Kelsey Group released research statistics that revealed a 130.5% mobile search growth rate is expected between 2008 and 2013, with an 81.2% increase in mobile ad revenues for the same time frame.

Even with these numbers, many companies are still reluctant to exploit the marketing opportunities presented by mobile search. This is simply due to the fact that search platforms and strategies need to be modified in order to accommodate the specific requirements of handheld devices.

But with OgilvyOne’s recent report stating that mobile search will offer a way to very specifically target consumers with personal ads – even as close as by the year 2020 – it’s safe to say that advertisers’ reluctance will soon dissipate.