UK-based Mobile Commerce Ltd, which provides mobile search services to a number of network operators, has published details of the brands and search terms that were popular in 2013.
It notes that using mobile devices to search for goods and services was increasingly popular this year. The company dealt with 8 billion search requests during the past 12 months and handled more than a quarter of all searches from mobile internet users via UK operator portals.
Although larger brands are dominating the chart, there were four new brands when compared to last year’s top 20 chart of search terms. These are WhatsApp (12th place), Waptrick (17th), Gumtree (19th) and LoveLeap (20th). In addition, the generic term ‘Games’ entered the chart in 16th place.
Dropping out of the top 20 chart from 2012 were MSN, Chat, Sky, BBC and Football.
Top 20 mobile Searches of 2013
- Facebook (1st place in 2012)
- Google (2nd)
- YouTube (3rd)
- Tubidy (8th)
- Hotmail (4th)
- Ebay (6th)
- Yahoo (7th)
- Plenty of Fish (9th)
- Flirtomatic (12th)
- FlirtFinder (18th)
- Twitter (11th)
- WhatsApp (new entry)
- Amazon (16th)
- Free (13th)
- Argos (15th)
- Games (new entry)
- Waptrick (new entry)
- Lottery (5th)
- Gumtree (new entry)
- LoveLeap (new entry)
The most searched-for individuals and bands of 2013 were One Direction, Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Katie Price, Megan Fox and Tulisa.
Last year Mobile Commerce forecast that Badoo, Whatsapp and Gumtree would enter the top 20 for 2013. Two of these were new entries, while Badoo ended in 22nd place. Tips for next year’s top 20 are VoIP service Viber and messaging app Kik.