Mobile use varies greatly between China's cities

Companies planning mobile advertising campaigns or designing apps should pay attention to the geographical location of their users.

"I can't live without my smartphone", jokes Zhang Ning, a non-native officer worker in Shanghai, "but in a small town like Jiujiang my life is completely different."

In Shanghai, Zhang uses her smartphone to check the weather, apply for cinema coupons and even hail cabs. In her hometown, however, she is just as happy to leave it at home.

In an increasingly interconnected world it is easy to think of "The Internet" as one large area that neatly houses all of a marketer's target audience. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case, as mobile users' habits and preferences still vary greatly depending on geographical location.

According to Horizon Research Consultancy, a Beijing-based agency, mobile usage is as diverse as China's geographical landscape itself.

In a survey of almost 2,000 18 to 32 year-olds from first, second, third and fourth-tier cities, 54% used social networking apps on at least a daily basis, compared to 41% in smaller cities.

Participants from large metropoltan areas like Beijing and Shanghai were also more likely to use navigation software, while those from smaller cities spent more time using their phones as video games machines.

Generally, engaged mobile owners from larger cities used their phones for shopping, travel and tourism, compared to a more passive approach taken by those in smaller cities, who generally used their phones for entertainment, such as watching videos or listening to music.

The lesson for companies planning mobile advertising campaigns or promoting apps is to consider the geographical location of their target audience when creating a comprehensive marketing strategy.