With 27 percent of mobile Web users in the United States clicking on mobile ads, marketers can rest assured that their advertising is getting eyeballs.

According to a consumer survey by ABI Research, 27 percent of mobile phone users accessing the mobile Internet have clicked on a mobile banner ad or text link. The online survey was completed by 1,003 consumers in the U.S.

"The key finding is that mobile Web users are seeing banner ads and clickable links,? said Neil Strother, Kirkland, WA-based practice director of ABI Research. ?There is a curiosity and people are interested in what is out there in the advertising world.

?But it is not just about the clicks,? he said. ?People can recall the ads as well and that means they are truly engaging with brands via mobile.?

ABI conducted a similar survey in December 2008. At that point, 21 percent of respondents claimed to click on mobile banner or text ads.

The increase year over year shows that more people are accessing Web sites through their mobile phones and clicking on ads is becoming more commonplace.

This trend is a positive one for marketers and advertisers, and should give them greater confidence in their mobile efforts, knowing that well-targeted offerings can find traction among consumers.

Best practices
What does ABI recommend for new mobile marketers?

Establish objectives. Know the customers? mobile behavior. Devise a simple, sound mobile plan. Measure results. And remember that mobile advertising is both art and science.

?Mobile is no longer in the experimental stage, and the early-adopters have been in the space for three or more years,? Mr. Strother said. ?If your brand is new to mobile, the reality is that a lot companies have been at it for a while.

?If you don?t get in now, you will be falling behind,? he said. ?My advice is get in now. Don?t just look at mobile as another tech play. See how it can work with what you are already doing.

"Mobile can become a part of traditional marketing and be used in a lot of creative ways.?

The ABI study also found that mobile Internet access on a daily basis is up significantly, with 28 percent of mobile phone users accessing Internet sites at least once a day from their phones.

That compares to just 16 percent in the previous survey conducted at the end of 2008.

Resistance to receiving promotions such as coupons and discounts on the mobile phone is eroding: About 45 percent of respondents, while not enthusiastic, would accept promotions if they had some control over the process.

By contrast, only about 36 percent would accept these types of mobile promotions in the earlier survey.

The survey also found that consumers remain guarded about using their mobile phones to make purchases, with 76 percent saying that security around such transactions is a major concern, an increase from 71 percent in the previous survey.

?Essentially, if you have been using mobile advertising, be assured that more people are looking and clicking,? Mr. Strother said. ?If you have not done mobile advertising, then this study shines light on the fact that it does work."