Independent app store GetJar has released the findings of research that show that 65% of consumers downloading applications from its site belong to the 18-34 year old male demographic, and that one in three GetJar users is downloading mobile apps every day. GetJar commissioned a poll of 13,518 GetJar users worldwide in August 2009 to gauge the impact of mobile applications globally as part of an advertising or marketing campaign.
GetJar says that while brands are already creating campaigns for mobile as a channel, the findings indicate that users are not only receptive to promotions via mobile apps, but also actively embrace them. Eight out of 10 have recommended a mobile app to a friend, and a further eight out of 10 continue to consciously download apps that contain advertising, highlighting the power of peer-to-peer advocacy among mobile app users.
GetJar says its research also found that 72% of consumers claimed that they are now using the mobile Internet more than the PC version. Without wanting to question the findings of the research, this particular figure sounds highly unlikely of the population as a whole. Perhaps the people sampled were just heavily skewed towards very heavy mobile users. GetJars poll also found that 73% think that brands that use mobile apps to promote products are viewed favourably, and 74% would actively download an app that was sponsored or developed by a well-known brand.
Key findings of the study include:
- 65% of GeJars respondents were in the 18-34 year old category
- 81% of respondents were male
- 61% of consumers were downloading content at least 3-4 times a week
- Mobile app users are more likely to access the Internet from their mobile handsets than from their computers, with 72% of respondents saying that this is the case. Across established and developing markets, this figure remains high (62% in the UK and 69% in the US)
- 57% of users downloaded mobile applications/software, above mobile games (22%), music (10%), wallpapers (8%) and ringtones (3%).
- 67% would be willing to pay for a mobile app.
Advertising revenue is already widely predicted to surge over the next four years, but this poll suggests that mobile apps will also become increasingly integral to digital marketing campaigns, says GetJar CEO, Ilja Laurs. In terms of behaviour, the impact of peer-to-peer advocacy is clear, with a high proportion of users recommending apps to friends, and many users downloading new apps as often as daily. As consumers move from the web to the mobile web, brands cannot ignore the effectiveness of apps in building user engagement or raising brand awareness. 
