Recently acquired mobile ad exchange Mobclix is releasing its 2010 report, which takes a look at the top trend in the mobile advertising space. 2010 has been a big year for mobile advertising companies and startups, with the Google-AdMob deal approved, Apple’s Quattro buy and iAds launch, Millennial’s fast growth and more. Unsurprisingly, the trend that tops Mobclix’s report is the platform war between Apple and Google over the iPhone versus Android. Mobclix says that impressions on Android phones via Mobclix’s platform grew by 420 percent over the past year whereas iPhone impressions grew by 347 percent for the same 12 month period.
Another interesting trend highlighted by the report is that real-time bidding for mobile ad space is becoming more widely adopted by publishers and developers as the optimal way to fill space. Mobclix says that real time bidding inventory is expected to make up 10% – 15% of total ad buys for 2011. In fact, 50% of all targeted online ad display platforms will be powered through real time platforms by 2015.
Mobclix also says that customer retention is 2.7 times better with push-notifications, with apps opened up to 228% more with notifications. Mobclix adds that weekly session times have increased by 103%, according to a survey the company conducted.
Rich media ads have proven to pay more, says Mobclix, highlighting the launch of iAd as a sign that these interactive ad formats are attractive to advertisers. Approximately 37% of impressions on the Mobclix exchange were for Rich Media units, a 115% increase over 2009.
In terms of app breakdown, the startup comments that Games are continuing to dominate the mobile app experience, reporting that 70% of the chart-topping applications—in both usage and gross revenue—are games. The average smartphone user spends 2.8 hours per day using applications and 3 in 5 people first turn to an app before searching the web, according to a recent Mobclix survey.
