80% of UK users access Twitter via their mobile

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Monday, 24 February 2014


Mobile is written into the DNA of Twitter. That’s underscored by new research from Nielsen that reports 80% of UK users access Twitter via their mobile device.

For the vast majority of those users mobile sits at the heart of the Twitter experience. As many as 70% say mobile devices are the primary way that they access Twitter — and they use it when engaged in a range of activities, as our infographic below shows.

Not surprisingly, Nielsen found that among those mobile-first users, 80% of their Twitter activity is done from a range of locations throughout the day.

UK users are the most mobile of their European neighbours.

Nielsen Twitter UK Consumer Survey, November 2013

While UK users are the most mobile of their European neighbours, Nielsen found similarly strong results across Europe for everyday mobile use. In Spain, like the UK, 80% access Twitter through a mobile device and it is the primary way for 69%; in France the numbers are 68% and 60%; and in the Netherlands, usage is the same for both: 72%.

In the UK, these users are not only mobile; they are more engaged than average Twitter users. Those who primarily use Twitter on their mobile device are 1.2 times as likely to engage daily than average users and 58% access the platform several times a day.

The Nielsen research emphasised the full range of Twitter activity that mobile users engage in from quoting and favouriting Tweets to sharing links and photos.

Among that activity mobile users engage in there is plenty of room for marketers. The study points to the strong relationship that mobile users have with their favourite brands. It found that 62% follow brands and that one in four use Twitter whilst shopping.

3 in 5 of Twitter mobile users are on Twitter whilst watching TV

Nielsen Twitter UK Consumer Survey, November 2013

We already know that there is a strong relationship between Twitter and TV and this is highlighted again by this latest research. It found that 3 in 5 of Twitter mobile users are on Twitter whilst watching TV.

This represents a strong opportunity for brands looking to connect with users watching TV and for those wanting to link their TV ad campaigns to Twitter to drive stronger engagement. This is a point well illustrated by recent campaigns we have seen from @Dominos_UK and @benandjerrysUK. Both of these used Twitter’s TV conversation targeting and achieved strong results. You can read the respective case studies here and here.

These results were supported by the Nielsen research. It found that more than 50% of mobile users visit websites of brands they follow and 30% have gone on to buy a product showing how Twitter can deliver via mobile (click for a high res version).

80% of UK users access Twitter via their mobile