Brief:

• Smartphone use triggers a distinct "mobile mindset," causing people to feel relaxed and comforted in the "safe zone" that a mobile device creates, according to a study by data analytics firm Clicktale and researchers from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania that was provided to Mobile Marketer. 
• When it comes to shopping, mobile users prefer content that offers immediate gratification such as coupons and clearance items. Smartphone users also said they would be more willing to pay a premium for a personalized shopping service, and to pay 6.5% more that desktop users would for fast shipping. In addition, mobile users were 84% less likely than desktop users to make donations while consumers were 36% more likely to buy a gift on a desktop computer than a mobile device.
• The relaxed state of mind fosters a preference for entertaining content, such as pop culture, sports and "guilty pleasures," rather than science, facts or hard news. The study is based on Clicktale Experience Cloud data of anonymized movement patterns and browsing behaviors for more than 1 million digital consumers.

Insight:

Clicktale’s study of the "mobile mindset" provides insights into how people turn to their smartphones for comfort, entertainment and immediate gratification, and how marketers must better tailor their mobile experiences to customer mindsets and intent.

Brands can create a more engaging customer experience on high-tech, high-touch mobile devices by utilizing sticky navigation, an entertainment-first approach and content that appeals to an individual’s sense of self. "Brands are currently missing a huge opportunity because they don’t really understand their customers’ mindsets," said Ori Reshef, VP data products and head of data science at Clicktale, in a press release. "Only by analyzing all the digital gestures and micro-signals made by customers can brands really identify customer intent and tailor their sites accordingly."

Clicktale’s findings about the mobile mindset also are interesting in the context of other studies that show smartphones can be addictive, and are associated with psychological stress, sleep disturbances and higher suicide risk among teenagers. The possible negative effects of technology have led smartphone makers like Apple to redesign their software to help people manage their mobile usage. The tech giant’s next mobile operating system, iOS 12, is due to be released this year and will include an app called Screen Time that gives users weekly reports of the apps they use and settings to limit usage. Parents will be able to monitor and adjust their children's app usage.