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September 17, 2008
ChaCha is Fastest Growing Mobile Text Search Service
Since launching a mobile text search service in January, ChaCha has answered 27 million queries, already gaining 7% of the U.S. mobile search market. They tied Yahoo in mobile search market share by the end of June 2008.
ChaCha experienced an 800% growth rate in the second quarter of 2008.
"Mobile search is growing at an incredible pace,” says Chris Quick, mobile media analyst with Nielsen Mobile. “Within the mobile SMS search category, ChaCha is the fastest growing service, increasingly competitive with other mobile search providers. We're therefore keeping very close tabs on how ChaCha will affect the mobile market.”
Looks like refocusing their business model on mobile text search is working out pretty nicely. I've used ChaCha myself, and I find it quite useful. I can text a question, keep going about my day and then get the precise answer I need a few minutes later. It saves me time, because I can get stuff done instead of sifting through a bunch of different search results, which may or may not be relevant.
What do you think of ChaCha's mobile text search service and growth? Direct your thoughts to the comments section.
Posted by Nathania Johnson on September 17, 2008 9:01 AM
Comments
Erin September 17, 2008 1:40 PM
I was at a bar a couple months ago and saw a group of guys having a heated sports discussion. Whenever there was a fact they were unsure of, they speed dialed ChaCha. That's a verge of a tipping point if ever I saw one.
Stan September 18, 2008 4:23 PM
Anyone with half an eye on this space realises this is a copycat of the UK text service Texperts, which has been running for about 5 years?
It is funny that Cha Cha has won a prize for "innovation"; surely their prize should be for deep pockets??
Ray September 24, 2008 6:16 AM
Alright, texperts is similar but they CHARGE for their service. That's part of what makes ChaCha innovative, they appeal to a huge demographic because they figured out how to make the service FREE to the consumer. This is what is going to change the course of mobile marketing. Innovative indeed. Other services computers' can't figure out the wording of the questions. ChaCha uses human interpretation and computer intelligence together so the consumer can ask anything.
Marco September 24, 2008 11:41 AM
SMS is the way to go. consumers don't all have iPhones or blackberrys, in fact, most of them don't, so not everyone can use the internet on their phone when they're on the go. It's a pain to be limited by shortcodes on similar services and ChaCha took care of it by adding the human element. The answers are as conversational as the questions, no limits. My opinion, ChaCha got something right.