Mobile survey
Contents
•
Goals
•
Methodology
•
Executive summary
•
Detailed findings:
•
2012: mobile technology in museums
•
Non-mobile museums
•
Key mobile challenges
•
The mobile future 2012 and beyond
•
2012 mobile museum forecast
Goals
•
To establish a multi-country museum study to assess
how cultural organisations are using mobile
technology to:
•
Extend audience reach
•
Increase visitor engagement and participation
•
Provide potential new revenue channels
•
To provide insight into how mobile strategies are
evolving.
•
To provide intelligence to inform the development of
museums’ short and long-term mobile plans.
Methodology
•
The study was carried out in February and March
2012 through an online survey.
•
The survey was sent to MA members via email.
•
In total 471 surveys were collected from MA
members, representing more than 386 museums.
•
A free place at the 2012 MA Conference was offered
Respondent profile
Museum role
• Curatorial
31%
• Education
18%
• CEO/Director 10%
• Visitor services 9%
• PR/Marketing 8%
• Volunteer
7%
• IT/Web
6%
• Interpretation 6%
• Trustee
3%
• Visitor research 1%
Museum type
• National
14%
• Local authority 33%
• Independent 28%
• Volunteer 5%
• Historic site 7%
Museum visitors
• Under 50K: 44%
• 50K to 100K: 12%
• 101K to 250K: 6%
• 250K to 500K: 11%
• Over 500k:
28%
Executive summary
Overall, respondents are enthusiastic about how mobile
technology can increase engagement among visitors and introduce
their brands and collections to a wider audience on and off-site.
•
Nearly half of UK museum respondents offer mobile platforms
•
9% only offer traditional museum-provided mobile devices.
•
14% offer both traditional museum-provided mobile devices and
new mobile features, such as QR codes and smartphone apps.
•
23% only offer new mobile features.
Executive summary
•
The most popular new mobile feature among respondents
require visitors to use their own mobile device.
•
QR codes (22%) top the list of mobile features used in respondent
museums, followed by museum-provided audio tours (18%) and
smartphone apps (12%).
•
Although visitor engagement is an essential goal of mobile
programmes, marketing and visitor demand are important
secondary goals.
•
Museums who already offer newer mobile technology to visitors
are more likely to want to take advantage of the full potential of
mobile.
•
Half of museum respondents do not offer any mobile features,
citing the lack of dedicated budget, limited resources and
Executive summary
•
Knowledge about mobile technology is a key factor in increasing
mobile technology adoption across the sector.
•
Despite the many barriers facing mobile technology adoption
the future of mobile in museums is bright.
•
One quarter of respondents not currently offering mobile plan to
introduce a mobile feature in 2012.
•
Half of respondent museums already offering mobile plan a new
mobile launch and two thirds plan to expand existing mobile
features in 2012.
•
Further usage of visitors’ personal devices is expected to
explode in 2012.
•
Although about half of respondents believe usage of
museum-provided devices will grow in the next 12 months, the vast
Nearly half of museums offer mobile
10%
14%
23% 54%
Museum provided device
only
Museum provided device &
new mobile features
New mobile features only
No mobile features
Q. What mobile technologies does your museum currently provide to visitors? (Mobile technologies include handheld devices provided by the museum or visitors’ personal devices, such as mobile phones, which enable access to the museum, its collections, or other forms of engagement.)
Size doesn’t matter for mobile application
Q. What mobile technologies does your museum currently provide to visitors? (Mobile technologies include handheld devices provided by the museum or visitors’ personal devices, such as mobile phones, which enable access to the museum, its collections, or other forms of engagement.)
6% 3% 6% 10% 11% 3% 9% 17% 20% 22% 16% 31% 33% 47% 23% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% Under 50,000 50,000 to 100,000 101,000 to 250,000 250,000 to 500,000 More than 500,000
Visitor figures: mobile features
Museum provided only
Museum provided & new mobile New mobile only
While museum-provided mobile platforms vary depending on visitor
numbers, new mobile features are not directly related to museum size.
Mobile is offered across museums categories
Q. What mobile technologies does your museum currently provide to visitors? (Mobile technologies include handheld devices provided by the museum or visitors’ personal devices, such as mobile phones, which enable access to the museum, its collections, or other forms of engagement.)
One in five non-national museums offer some level of new mobile features
8% 11% 10% 10% 10% 5% 33% 20% 24% 20% 19% 35% 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 Volunteer run museum
Historic house / Historic site Independent museum Local authority National museum
Visitor traffic by mobile features
Museum provided only Museum provided & new mobile
UK and US have similar levels of mobile adoption
Q. What mobile technologies does your museum currently provide to visitors? (Mobile technologies include handheld devices provided by the museum or visitors’ personal devices, such as mobile phones, which enable access to the museum, its collections, or other forms of engagement.)
Although UK and US museums have similar level of museum provided
devices, the US is further ahead in new mobile features.
10% 8% 14% 13% 23% 36% 54% 43% UK USA No mobile features New mobile features only Museum provided device & new mobile features
QR codes top the UK museum mobile list
Q. What mobile technologies does your museum currently provide to visitors? (Mobile technologies include handheld devices provided by the museum or visitors’ personal devices, such as mobile phones, which enable access to the museum, its collections, or other forms of engagement.)
QR codes are the most popular mobile feature among UK museums,
followed by traditional audio tours and smartphone apps.
1% 1% 1% 1% 2% 2% 2% 4% 4% 5% 5% 7% 12% 18% 22%
Text message live interaction Sharing web links multimedia via text message Text message reminders/alerts Mobile surveys iPad tour Mobile phone wayfinding/GPS Augmented reality Mobile phone-guided audio tours Mobile activity/game applications Mobile giving Mobile web/WAP/MOBI Museum provided multimedia tour Smartphone app Museum provided audio only tour QR codes
US museums are more likely to offer QR codes and
mobile phone audio tours than UK peers
UK museums are slightly more likely to offer audio tours and mobile giving.
Q. What mobile technologies does your museum currently provide to visitors? (Mobile technologies include handheld devices provided by the museum or visitors’ personal devices, such as mobile phones, which enable access to the museum, its collections, or other forms of engagement.)
1% 2% 2% 2% 3% 3% 3% 4% 5% 6% 13% 16% 17% 30% 2% 2% 1% 1% 1% 5% 2% 4% 5% 7% 12% 18% 4% 22% Augmented reality Mobile phone wayfinding/GPS Sharing web links multimedia via text message Mobile surveys Text message reminders/alerts Mobile giving iPad tour Mobile activity/game applications Mobile web/WAP/MOBI Museum provided device, multimedia tour Smartphone app Museum provided device, audio only tour
Mobile phone guided audio tours QR codes
UK USA
QR codes are most likely mobile feature offered by
mid-sized UK museums
Unlike smartphone apps, QR codes appeal across small and mid-size museums.
Q. What mobile technologies does your museum currently provide to visitors? (Mobile technologies include handheld devices provided by the museum or visitors’ personal devices, such as mobile phones, which enable access to the museum, its collections, or other forms of engagement.)
15% 29% 39% 47% 22% 3% 3% 0% 33% 27% Under 50,000 50,000 to 100,000 101,000 to 250,000 250,000 to 500,000 More than 500,000
Visitor numbers: mobile feature
Smartphone app QR Codes
Increased engagement is a key mobile goal in UK
Q. What are the goals of your mobile programmes? (Select all that apply)
8% 11% 12% 14% 15% 18% 19% 26% 33% 36% 42% 43% 66%
Develop more effective programmes for teachers Visitor giving/donation Develop more effective student programmes Provide map of venue and location of basic services
Revenue generation Keeping up with museum peers Collect feedback on visitor experience Part of museum education programme Engage visitors in creative activities Meet visitor demand for mobile technology Marketing word of mouth about the museum Bring our collections to a wider audience Increase visitor engagement
Museums offering new mobile features are more likely to
take full advantage of the potential of mobile
Q. What are the goals of your mobile programmes? (Select all that apply)
Mobile goals
provided only
Museum-
provided and new
Both
museum-mobile
New mobile
only
Increase visitor engagement
60%
81%
70%
Bring collections/programmes to a wider audience
17%
57%
46%
Marketing/word-of-mouth about the museum
14%
51%
45%
Meet visitor demand for mobile technology
29%
48%
41%
Engage visitors in creative activities
24%
36%
35%
Part of museum education programme
33%
35%
22%
Collect feedback on visitor experience
10%
25%
21%
Provide map of venue and location of services
5%
21%
17%
The majority of museums manage their mobile
programmes in-house
Q. What percentage of your mobile programme resources are managed in-house
New mobile only museums are more likely to mange their mobile
programmes in-house.
78% 77%
93%
Museum provided only Both museum provided and new
mobile New mobile only
Ultimate mobile outcomes focus on “depth and breath”
Q. Ultimately, what would you want your visitors to do/get out of mobile programme(s)/future mobile programme(s)? (Select all that apply)
40% 43% 56% 64% 72% 85% 93% Group interaction Improved wayfinding Family interaction Information of upcoming events and
temporary exhibits
Seeing more of the venue objects on display
Increased learning Greater sense of engagement with
the museum and its collection
Mobile progammes target general audiences
Families are also an important target audience.
Q. What demographic groups would you most like to target with mobile technology programme(s)? (Select all that apply)
61% 69% 69% 78% 81% Families Students: secondary school University students academics Adults: ages 25 to 54 Young adults: under 25
Lack of dedicated budget and limited resources barriers
for museums not offering mobile features
Q. What are the primary reason(s) why your organisation does not offer or use mobile technologies? (Select all that apply)
1% 2% 3% 9% 13% 22% 24% 26% 28% 34% 34% 50% 52% 55% 1% 3% 5% 10% 13% 34% 31% 28% 27% 31% 32% 41% 48% 52%
Mobile technology is too trendy Mobile technology is better suited for businesses than non-profits Don't want visitors using mobile devices in our museum No field-wide standards in museum mobile technology Not sure how to evaluate the effectiveness Insufficient knowledge of the revenue models Insufficient knowledge of mobile products Mobile is not an institution priority
Insufficient staff training Lack of visitor demand/Not sure of visitor demand
Too expensive Insufficient staff time Too many other demands on internal resources
No dedicated budget for mobile
UK versus US
USA UK
Partnerships important to support mobile programmes
Few museums see charging or advertising as effective tactics for supporting mobile
programmes.
Q. How likely is your institution to do the following to support its current or potential mobile initiatives/programmes?
18% 18% 28% 32% 51% 63%
Charge visitors a fee to access mobile services Accept advertising Offer sponsorships opportunities Partner with third party mobile provider Partner with local agencies(e.g. tourism office) Partner with other cultural organisations
Initiatives to support mobile programmes among museums already
offering mobile
(% very/somewhat likely)
Key mobile challenges for museums include funding and
internal resources
Q. How would you rate the following potential challenges to implementing mobile technologies in your museum?
6% 15% 21% 25% 33% 33% 36% 42% 55% 62% 4% 12% 24% 15% 28% 20% 25% 35% 42% 53% Visitor demand Creating content Structural barriers Organisational support/approval Maintaining mobile technology Technological expertise Lack of centralised planning
Time commitment Internal resources Funding
Mobile challenges
Mobile Non-mobileAlthough views vary on mobile technology, few believe
it is a fad or inappropriate for the cultural sector
Q. Do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
12% 6% 46% 48% 51% 43% 27% 25% 6% 6% 38% 44% 45% 47% 53% 58%
More appropriate for commercial firms It is a fad It exclude too many visitors Our organisation lacks knowledge It's nice to have but not essential Museum has barriers that limit use Visitors expect mobile access It is essential to visitor engagement
Views on mobile technology in museums
Mobile Non Mobile
Majority of UK museums already offering mobile are still
developing strategies
Very few UK museums characterise their mobile strategy as developed.
Q. How would you characterise your organisation’s mobile programme strategy?
1%
16%
50%
29%
5%
Status of mobile technology strategy
Developed
Somewhat developed
Developing
No strategy
Don't know
Museums’ mobile future is bright
25% of UK museums without any mobile features plan to introduce mobile
in 2012. Half of museums already offering mobile plan a new mobile launch
while two thirds plan to expand existing mobile features in 2012.
25% 47% 65% 36% 50% 69%
Non-mobile museums: introducing Mobile museums: introducing Mobile museums: expanding UK USA
Smartphone apps and QR codes top the list of 2012 new
mobile introductions
Q. Which of the following mobile platforms and/or features are you planning on introducing or expanding at your institution by the end of 2012?
5% 1% 2% 2% 3% 4% 1% 2% 4% 2% 15% 14% 5% 6% 6% 7% 8% 8% 10% 10% 11% 12% 15% 18%
Museum provided, audio Sharing web links or multimedia via text message Text message reminders/alerts Mobile phone wayfinding/GPS Mobile giving iPad tour Augmented reality Mobile Web/WAP/MOBI Mobile activity/game applications Museum provided, multimedia QR codes Smartphone applications
New mobile introductions
Mobile Non Mobile
QR codes top 2012 expansion plans
Q. Which of the following mobile platforms and/or features are you planning on introducing or expanding at your institution by the end of 2012?
8% 9% 10% 10% 10% 10% 13% 13% 14% 26% 41% Augmented reality Mobile phone wayfinding/GPS
Mobile surveys Museum provided audio only tour
iPad tour Mobile giving Museum provided multimedia tour Mobile activity/game applications Mobile web/WAP/MOBI Smartphone applications QR codes
2012 mobile museum forecast
Overall, new mobile platform introductions in 2012 are forecasted to grow
fastest in the UK and US among museums already offering mobile
18%
33%
25%
35%
Non Mobile museum Mobile museum
Mobile platform introduction forecast
