In the latest Jiwire Mobile Audience Insights Report for the last quarter of 2010, mobile shopping is mainly triggered by releases of location-based ads. Thanks to mobile advertising, the popularity of location-based advertising surges high, especially with the geo-location capabilities of mobile phones today. Not to mention that mobile space is expanding its horizon with popularity of the iPad, Android becoming the next big thing and tablets selling like hotcakes.

In Millennial Media’s SMART report, we can see the dominance of mobile advertising as mobile web browsing becomes a commonplace. Social media has also seen growth via its tie up with the mobile industry and this is especially true for Facebook Mobile.

As far as mobile landscape is concern, there are various methods of advertising, marketing and promotions that are being adopted to propel purchases. These include daily deals, mobile alerts and in-app advertisements and purchases. Daily deals would provide a consumer a list of offers that will only run for 24-hours, while mobile alerts are notifications that are based on the person’s line of interest and deals within his or her location. In-app ads are evolving quite rapidly as of late, with several new platforms seeking monetization routes around consumers’ newfound love for mobile apps.

An interesting blog by Martin Zwilling of Forbes has noted opportunities for start-ups to capitalize on location-based services that are currently being utilized by mobile phone app such as Facebook Places and Foursquare. Still remember when Groupon was just starting, and people hadn’t yet realized the great concept behind the app?  Until it turned down a multi-billion dollar offer from the search engine lord, Google, creating the subsequent rise of the wannabes.

As more and more people willingly share information through mobile phone apps, such as their whereabouts to access benefits of location-based advertising are seen to participate actively in making purchases while mobile and with relevant ads, they are ready to travel just to snatch the special offer and redeem promotions of their favorite local brand or store.