Micro-blogging Emerges as Driver of Mobile Internet Usage

Novarra, the Internet Mobility company, today reveals that micro-blogging sites such as Twitter are introducing new consumers to internet via mobile and driving significant usage. The findings from Novarra’s global deployments show that page views of bit.ly and tinyurl.com, shortened URL services regularly used in tweets, have grown by 1068% to date in 2009.

The growth supports the findings of Novarra’s latest Mobile Internet Experience Update (October 2009) which noted that page views of Twitter grew 3500% in the first half of 2009. Tiny URLs and bit.ly links are often used to share online content via Twitter and other micro-blogging services because the shortened web links fit easily into 140 character SMS messages. The surge in their use shows that links shared in micro-blogs are becoming an increasingly important driver of internet use via mobile and a catalyst for bringing new mobile users online. 

Novarra’s data indicates that neither bit.ly or tinyurl.com were in the top 1000 sites accessed on the mobile at the start of 2009, but the tenfold growth this year has seen them skyrocket in the rankings. UK mobile users lead the way, with tinyurl.com now ranking in the top 200 sites accessed last month.

Randy Cavaiani, vice president of marketing at Novarra comments on the findings: “The growth in mobile traffic to sites that shorten URLs demonstrates that Twitter is a great viral tool for exposing consumers to new and interesting content. Much of the content shared this way is from ‘long tail’ sites that are personally relevant and important to consumers and their circle of friends.” 

The findings are based on Novarra’s global network of Vision mobile browser and mobile internet platform deployments with leading operators and service providers. Novarra’s mobile internet service reaches two out of three mobile phone users in the US and one billion globally.

More mobile internet usage statistics and insights from Novarra are available on the company’s web site in its most recent Mobile Internet Experience Update.