While you may or may not have heard that Google will begin incorporating data on whether a site is mobile friendly or not into its ranking algorithm this April, there are several reasons that your business should make sure it has a mobile friendly presence and your search ranking is just one of them.
In a recent poll conducted by Edelman, it was indicated that online search engines are considered to be the most-trusted media source. Based on their data, 64% of internet users worldwide consider online search engines the most trusted source for information. Make sure that your business is in a position to capitalize on that trust by having a mobile friendly web site.
If you don’t think mobile searches are significant, think again. In a recent comScore report, it was reported that smartphones and tablets now account for 6o% of all online traffic. Additionally it has been shown in a separate study that a higher percentage of mobile searches result in purchases that with traditional searches (comScore). You want to makes sure that this high quality traffic is finding your business.
This just applies to restaurants and retail outlets, according to eMarketer it is a similar situation when it comes to business information. Where search engines remain the most popular source of information (31% of respondents, while only 20% turn to newspapers).
There are many fine mobile web site developers that can help you with your project but you should also consider how mobile applications fit into the picture and how they can benefit your business.
A mobile application developer can help you develop an application that fits your business needs but keep in mind how it will benefit your online search strategy as well. Mobile app listings are given high importance in Google’s ranking algorithm so having mobile applications can place you very favorably when it comes to mobile search. Additionally having a mobile application has been shown to affect your businesses’ search ranking beyond just your application’s search position.
Beyond mobile’s affect on your search position customers have come to expect mobile optimized web sites and mobile applications from businesses and you might be turning customers away if you are not providing these to your customers. Since June 2013 more than half of the time spent shopping online has been done via mobile device [Internet Retailer]. Savvy shoppers are familiar with good mobile user experiences and have come to expect them.
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Mobile has revolutionized not only the way we interact and communicate but how we do business and as such, mobile has become a vital aspect of “how we do business” to businesses of all sizes around the globe.
Whether you are just looking to dip your toes in or to have a responsive web site built or to contact an iPhone application developer or Android application developer, it is important that your business understands the importance of mobile and the implications of it when it comes to doing business in the future.
First of all, consider that mobile is a lively, active medium that is regularly on your customers minds. According to Mobile Marketing Watch, 46% of smartphone users say they utilize their mobile devices as their primary search tool. Their research went on to reinforce the importance of smart phones showing that 91% of smart phone users check their email at least once per day from their phones. Additionally, 76% use their smart phone for social media at least once a day. Beyond that mobile devices are shown to be critical to retails as 35 % of in-store shoppers actively comparison check prices on their smart phones while shopping and 31% look up product information while shopping.
But beyond that, mobile marketing is a highly effective advertising medium. According to a recent Smart Mobile Cross Marketing Effectiveness study, “mobile is a strong driver of campaign performance across the entire purchase funnel. From upper funnel metrics like awareness and image, to purchase intent and actual behavior (foot traffic or sales), the empirical evidence proves that mobile has a fervent contribution to campaign results, justifying a double-digit allocation of the entire media budget (not just digital) to mobile.”
Mobile allows you to engage directly with customers in ways business never could before. From giving exclusive offers to your mobile app users when they are in a location to take advantage of the offer to building in functionality to allowing your customers to customize their shopping experience, mobile takes engagement to a whole new level. If you make the experience personal your users, they will be more engaged and more likely to return.
Beyond the now, forward thinking businesses are looking at The Internet of Things and the opportunities that it offers to businesses. The Internet of Things is growing exponentially and creates incredible opportunities for businesses to serve customers with new levels of service and convenience that they never imagined before.
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At the recent Mobile Marketing Association Forum it was disclosed that an impressive 68% of mobile marketers are utilizing location based targeting. They further laid out predictions for more brands to utilize location as a key data source to help them market in the future. And its no surprise since location based mobile marketing is all about delivering the right message to the right person at the right place and time.
Mobile based programs featuring location based targeting can propel sales through messaging and spark impulse purchases. Location allows businesses to provide contextually relevant content to consumers. Savvy brands will leverage a consumer’s location with demographic information and predictive behavioral targeting to improve the effectiveness of their marketing efforts. iPhone Application developers and Android application developers can help you integrate these features into your mobile application development program.
Beacons will soon be invaluable tools for marketers to interact with consumers, as well as for collecting data about user’s preferences and building profiles that can be used to improve customer experiences by delivering messaging that is personalized to the consumer’s preferences and buying habits.
Geo-Fencing is a common tool as it allows retailers or other businesses to automatically alert customers to deals, discounts and more when they are near their location. These are sent to consumers via push notifications that are shown to currently have a very impressive 40% click through rate on average [Andrew Chen].
But don’t forget to personalize the content as people do not engage if content is not relevant. In a recent survey by Cisco, a full 46% of those surveyed said they would like personalized promotions delivered to their smartphone. The better you can engage people on their terms, the happier they will be.
Location based mobile advertising gives you a method of engagement with you customer base that is more targeted, more impactful and more actionable than other forms of advertising.
Image: Kārlis Dambrāns (Flickr) http://bit.ly/1HCzhO8