In Mobile Advertising, Size May Not Matter

The message is apparently more important than the messenger when it comes to mobile ad performance, a new survey shows. Data from more than 107 million mobile users in May showed that screen size doesn’t always matter when it comes to advertising click-through rate (CTR). The Amazon Kindle, which measures seven inches in length, had a 1.02 percent CTR while the slightly larger 9.7-inch iPad had a 0.9 percent CTR.

While tablets in general tend to have higher CTRs than smartphones, size wasn't always an accurate predictor of CTR in the latest survey of targeting and audience trends in mobile advertising conducted by Jumptap,a mobile advertising company. For example, the Samsung Galaxy Tab (0.53 percent), Note (0.58 percent), and Galaxy S (0.53 percent) all had comparable CTRs despite having three very different screen sizes, ranging from 10.1 inches to 3.5 inches.

In order to maximize the features and functionality of each device, mobile advertisers should build different creative for different screen sizes, Jumptapsaid.

[Eye Candy Wins Clicks of Tablet Users, Research Says]

"What makes the mobile market thrive are the various features, functionalities and form factors of each device," said Paran Johar, Jumptap's chief marketing officer. "In order to capitalize on that notion and increase campaign CTR, advertisers should build creative that reflects the unique aspects of each device, in accordance with the Mobile Marketing Association and Interactive Advertising Bureau guidelines."

Reach BusinessNewsDaily senior writer Ned Smith at nsmith@techmedianetwork.com. Follow him on Twitter @nedbsmith.