A report from BIA/Kelsey suggests that mobile search will surpass desktop search in 2015.

A report from BIA/Kelsey suggests that mobile search may soon become the preferred and most frequently used method of scanning the web by 2015. According to the company’s study, mobile and desktop search will be equally popular late in 2014, before mobile eventually becomes the leader in 2015. Marketers should note that the portable devices are fueling significant growth in search activity.

By the end of 2016, BIA/Kelsey believes mobile will account for at least 113 billion queries compared to 85.6 billion from desktop devices.

Even with mobile surpassing desktop, perhaps the most important element of the study is the substantial growth in search overall. In 2011, more than 55 billion searches were conducted from desktop devices based on on BIA/Kelsey’s report, with another 19.7 billion coming from mobile search. By the end of 2012, the company expects desktop queries to surpass 61 billion and mobile to approach 31 billion bringing overall search volume beyond 90 billion queries.

As Brafton has reported, Google says mobile search never stops. Consumers constant stream of queries via portable devices will continue to fuel growth in search activity, and BIA/Kelsey predicts combined mobile and desktop queries will exceed 100 billion next year.

Companies looking to improve their ability to target both desktop and mobile search users must ensure that their website is fully compatible with smartphones and tablets. Moreover, adding some mobile elements to their SEO strategies can help these organizations boost SERP standing on each.

The focus on creating a strong search cross-device presence has resulted in an increased focused on content marketing moving forward. Brafton recently reported that 87 percent of companies are planning to boost investment in their web content marketing campaigns, developing high-quality original articles, blog posts and more.

Joe Meloni is Brafton's former Executive News and Content Writer. He studied journalism at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and has written for a number of print and web-based publications.