Cricket, Boost Top Increase in Prepaid Searches, Says ComScore

By Contributor Wireless and Mobile News on June 11, 2009 11:54 AM

ComScore, released a quarterly review of the U. S. prepaid wireless industry based on online visitation and search referral activity. It showed strong gains in online activity as consumers increasingly turn to cost-effective wireless service alternatives during the economic downturn.

The combined visitation to these sites grew 37 percent versus year ago to nearly 8 million visitors, representing more than 4 percent of the total U.S. Internet audience.

Growth in the category was driven primarily by MyCricket.com (up 107 percent) and Boostmobile.com (up 105 percent), both of which more than doubled in visitation versus year ago. MetroPCS.com and Net10.com also experienced strong gains, growing 63 percent and 37 percent, respectively.

Prepaid Wireless Site Visitation March 2009 vs. March 2008 Total U.S. - Home/Work/University Locations Source: comScore Media Metrix
Site	Unique Visitors (000)
Site	Mar-08	Mar-09	Percent Change
Total Prepaid Wireless Audience*	5,806	7,968	37%
VirginMobileUSA.com	1,554	1,512	-3%
TracFone.com	1,390	1,290	-7%
MetroPCS.com	1,154	1,879	63%
MyCricket.com	925	1,915	107%
BoostMobile.com	871	1,784	105%
Net10.com	346	474	37%

*Unduplicated audience of six selected prepaid wireless sites

Organic Search Click Growth Outpaces Paid Clicks to Prepaid Wireless Sites

In order to understand the marketing factors driving traffic to prepaid wireless sites, comScore also conducted an analysis of search referral activity. The results showed that while both paid and organic search are driving increased referral activity, organic search is substantially outpacing paid search referrals on the whole. This dynamic suggests that the underlying consumer demand for prepaid wireless services is not just being driven by paid search marketing expenditures.

A few of the sites performed particularly well in obtaining growth from organic search referrals compared to paid search referrals. Organic clicks to BoostMobile.com grew 310 percent, while paid clicks grew 119 percent; organic clicks to MyCricket.com grew 123 percent compared to 63 percent growth in paid clicks; and organic clicks to MetroPCS.com grew 148 percent compared to 17 percent growth in paid clicks.

Paid vs. Organic Search Clicks to Prepaid Wireless Sites March 2009 vs. March 2008 Total U.S. - Home/Work/University Locations Source: comScore Marketer
Site	Y/Y Percent Change in Search Clicks
Site	Paid Clicks	Organic Clicks
VirginMobileUSA.com	-18%	44%
TracFone.com	-4%	-50%
MetroPCS.com	17%	148%
MyCricket.com	63%	123%
BoostMobile.com	119%	310%
Net10.com	-40%	-64%