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The more screens in use, the more likely the user is to buy, browse or otherwise engage via the mobile device, according to a MEF report focusing on international second screen behaviors.
The report also highlights the indication that mobile handsets complement, rather than replace, other media channels.
According to the study, 69 per cent of second screeners made a purchase in 2013 versus 65 per cent of the total sample of mobile media users. The likelihood of purchase rises to 79 per cent for those using three screens and 85 per cent for those using five screens.
The report also suggested choice of a second screen also has a positive impact on mobile content and commerce, with more than three-quarters (77 percent) of those using a tablet as a second screen making some type of purchase on their mobile, versus the second screen average of 69 per cent.
Perhaps more surprisingly, the second most popular second screen is a second phone, with 23 per cent of consumers using two mobile handsets at once.
The report found growth markets dominate this trend with Indonesians (51 per cent) and Qataris (24 per cent) naming a smartphone as their second screen of choice.
“CBS is thought to have made $10-12 million from second screening around this month’s Super Bowl in the US – just the latest example of how this new consumer behavior is becoming a real opportunity for businesses,” Rimma Perelmuter, CEO of MEF, said in a statement.
In 2013, two thirds (65 per cent) of mobile media users browsed the mobile Internet in tandem with a second screen (TV, PC, tablet or second phone). When traditional media such as newspapers and radio are taken into consideration, the figure rises to nearly nine in ten (89 per cent).
“Far from replacing traditional media channels, mobile devices are maximizing the potential of the media mix as the industry transitions to Mobile 3.0 with a new breed of super apps displacing one off purchases. MEF’s Second Screen Report highlights the behavioral trends to help businesses keen to engage with consumers to identify opportunities and maximize the potential of this exciting platform,” Perelmuter continued.
The report, carried out in partnership with On Device Research, analyzed data from 10,000 respondents in 13 countries, examining the ways in which mobile devices are used in tandem with other forms of media, and the opportunities this behavioral trend presents for mobile content and commerce.