US mobile web on the rise as userbase hits 77 million

The mobile web continues to expand, according to the latest statistics released as part of Millennial Media's SMART report, which details advertising reach and targeting in the US market.

Just under 77.5 million Americans now have access to the mobile web according to the firm's numbers for June - up 3 percent from May's total of 75.3 million – with the ever-expanding medium increasingly attracting the attention of major advertising brands.

As such, the fact that hispanic and black audiences are the dominant force in mobile data usage is crucial for marketers looking to run targeted campaigns, with Millennial's figures suggesting most web usage comes from within US cities with high multi-cultural populations – Los Angeles, Dallas and Houston topping the list.

It's therefore no surprise that increasing numbers of marketers on Millennial Media's network – which itself now has a reach of just under 63 million consumers – are choosing to target their ads at specific audiences, rather than the broad mainstream.

41 percent now aim their ads at specific groups, with 56 percent of those opting to pitch their campaigns at users in set locations, otherwise known as GEO targeting.

Millennial summarises this is, in part, due to large amounts of ads from travel brands, such as hotels and holiday resorts.

The question of what users do once they encounter mobile ads is just as important, with numbers from the June report suggesting an increasing amount of click-throughs lead to app downloads – 16 percent, in total.

Millennial's Media's MYDAS numbers – which analyse multiple calls to action for any given campaign – paint a similar picture, with 26 percent of users downloading apps, which represents an increase for the third consecutive month.

You can sign up for Millennial's SMART report on the firm's website.