Almost half of app users said that they click on mobile ads “more often by mistake than they do on purpose,” according to a user survey commissioned by Pontiflex. It was noted that “given that mobile advertising models typically charge advertisers for clicks, the findings indicate that a large portion of mobile ad dollars are wasted.” It was also noted that users expressed a preference for ads which keep them within the app they are using, instead of apps which launch the mobile internet browser, “further reinforcing the need for mobile advertising to move away from a model based on clicks.”

According to the study, conducted by Harris Interactive, 95 percent of active respondents use free apps, with 41 percent using paid. This trend is also said to be evident in more affluent demographic groups. This, Pontiflex says, highlights the importance of mobile app advertising, which has emerged as an important revenue stream for publishers and developers to keep apps free.

Zephrin Lasker, co-founder and CEO, Pontiflex, said: “”First, by taking the user out of the app to a clunky browser, clicks make for a disruptive experience. Second, the fact that most people say they click on ads by mistake more often than they do on purpose is particularly striking. If you are a mobile marketer, why would you run a cost-per-click campaign?”

Harris Interactive conducted two online surveys in the US on behalf of Pontiflex, generating more than 4,000 responses.