Mobile search is dominated by local information/utility and social networking/communications. Top 10 search terms provided by Yahoo and AOL – unfortunately Google couldn’t provide the same information – suggest that people use mobile search for more practical purposes than PC search.

Celebrity and TV reality shows clearly aren’t as important to people on the move, as catching up with friends (MySpace, MocoSpace, Facebook), checking the weather or classifieds (Craigslist), what’s on at the cinema or getting directions (MapQuest).

mobiThinking was surprised not to see ‘News’ (or particular news providers) in here, but then when people put in ‘Olympics’, ‘AIG’, maybe even “The Dark Knight” they are presumably looking for news on these topics.

It will be interesting to see how these Top 10s progress once people start to bookmark their regular mobile sites.

Top 10 mobile searches on Yahoo

1. MySpace
2. Facebook
3. Craigslist
4. Movies
5. Weather
6. Olympics
7. The Dark Knight
8. Kim Kardashian
9. eBay
10. AIG

More information from Yahoo here. If you look at this on a PC, you have to admire the excellent mobile simulator.

Top 10 Mobile Searches on AOL

1. MySpace
2. AIM
3. iPhone
4. MocoSpace
5. Facebook
6. Craigslist
7. Weather
8. Free ringtones
9. MapQuest
10. Match.com

And for comparison…

Top 10 PC searches on AOL

1. American Idol
2. Britney Spears
3. Dancing with the Stars
4. NASCAR
5. Miley Cyrus
6. WWE
7. Flat Belly Diet
8. Barack Obama
9. Kim Kardashian
10. Sarah Palin

More information from AOL here.

• PS: Facebook, eBay, Weather.mobi and many more mobile sites are featured in our latest e-Book The Best and Worst of the Mobile Web.
• PS: If you’re interested in mobile social networking you must see this brand-new interview with Limbo’s Rob Lawson.
• PS: If you’re interested in mobile search, see this interview with Yahoo’s Michael Bayle.