SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 16, 2013--
The travel industry faces a huge opportunity to capitalize on phone
calls as more consumers call to book trips directly from their
smartphones, according to a data analysis released today by Marchex,
Inc. (NASDAQ:MCHX).
Marchex, a mobile advertising company focused on calls, set out to
understand the behaviors of mobile consumers booking travel over the
phone. Using technology that scans for key phrases, researchers analyzed
more than 15,000 phone calls placed to hotel properties and national
call centers from mobile and desktop ad campaigns.
The data found:
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Mobile callers convert into customers at a higher rate than desktop
users.
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Consumers are in “purchase mode” on the phone and have an urgent
intent to book.
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Consumers most often call because of special requests having to do
with, for instance, an event or room location. These requests require
talking to someone.
The study pointed out that the travel industry, which now trails others
in monetizing mobile calls, is poised for “explosive growth” in this
sector.
“The travel industry might be the largest stakeholder for mobile this
year,” said Eric Taylor, senior analyst at the Marchex Institute, the
research arm of Marchex. “The data could not be any clearer: Phone calls
will play an integral role in 2013 for travel companies looking to
harness the mobile market. In a sense, what’s old is new again.”
Vice President of the Marchex Institute, John Busby, will be speaking
about this data Thursday at the Smart
Travel Analytics Show at the New Yorker Hotel in New York City.
To download the entire study, please go to www.marchex.com/mobile_travel_performance.
About Marchex:
Marchex, Inc. delivers customer calls to businesses and analyzes those
calls so companies can get the most out of their mobile advertising.
Marchex supports its customers through a unique technology platform that
has three primary components: (1) Call
Analytics, which powers all of our advertising solutions, and allows
partners to leverage data and insights that accurately measure the
performance of mobile, online and offline call advertising; (2) Digital
Call Marketplace, which annually connects millions of consumer calls
to our advertisers from a range of mobile and online sources on a Pay
For Call basis; and (3) Local
Leads, a white-labeled, full-service digital advertising solution
for small business resellers that drives quality phone calls and other
leads to their small business advertisers.
Marchex is based in Seattle. To learn more, please visit www.marchex.com.
Source: Marchex, Inc.
Marchex
Public Relations:
Sonia Krishnan, 206-331-3434
Email:
skrishnan(at)marchex.com
or
Investor Relations:
Trevor
Caldwell, 206-331-3600
Email: ir(at)marchex.com