Monday 3 September saw tablet searches in the US jump by 30 per cent, and mobile searches jump 10 per cent. 

If youre wondering why that day in particular, chances are youre not an American – its Labour Day in the US. The data comes as part of Googles look at mobile usage on national holidays. And even more interestingly, mobile ad clicks spike even more than search queries.

In 2011, the Thanksgiving period saw a 100 per cent increase in ad clicks on tablets, compared to a 40 per cent increase in queries. Smartphone clicks jumped 60 per cent, while queries increased by less than 20 per cent.

“Not only are people searching more on smartphones and tablets during different holidays, but their at-home or out-and-about context makes them particularly interested in connecting with businesses online or nearby,” said Google mobile analyst Ben Taggart in a blog post. “While mobile search activity jumps significantly during holidays, we found that clicks on mobile ads spike even more dramatically in comparison to other average days. So whether shoppers are using their free time away from work to buy a last-minute gift or to figure out where to get holiday party supplies, this behaviour presents an important opportunity for marketers to engage the mobile shopper.”