The term ‘mobile marketing’ isn’t so new anymore. Did you know that mobile has taken over search engines? In 2013 there were more searches done on a mobile device than on a desktop or laptop computer. If you are late to the mobile marketing game, the best time to start thinking mobile is right now.
Make a choice about mobile
There is nothing saying you must optimize your mix for mobile users or devices. Likewise, there is no rule telling you that your product or service can’t be sold or purchased without the use of technology. They are business decisions that improve your revenue, profit, and other operating lines. It is your choice, as business owner or manager, to decide the best ways to communicate with your customers and potential customers. Do you wish to engage potential customers when they are higher up in the sales funnel, or early in the “customer life cycle?” Primary functions on mobile devices for products include prospects doing initial research about brands, general product information, and utilizing product apps.
Service-oriented searches via mobile can be enhanced with location based or phone number based conversions. Content like your business’ store hours, who to contact, and how to find you are examples of killer mobile content. The reality is, if you want more of these types of contacts your choice needs to be mobile. Mobile users are looking to solve real problems, quickly. If this type of customer activity is a good fit to grow your business, mobile marketing can help you accomplish it.
What happens if you don’t choose mobile optimization?
Voice search via mobile, text search via mobile, and geo or map searching via mobile are prominent in today’s ever changing mobile world. A recent article on http://www.mobilemarketer.com states, “Consumers tend to use a brand’s app or mobile web site briefly and only for specific purposes. When a consumer opens her phone, she wants to immediately achieve a goal, not wade through tons of pages and load times.” And this tells us that people are serious and ready to act. Choosing to not participate in this type of activity can prove very costly to your business’ bottom line today and well into the future.
What happens when you execute a well-rounded mobile strategy that reaches people where they are, when they are acting, and while they are thinking about your product or service?
Simply, they find you when they search via the web on their device. They recognize your brand, they figure out how to get to you, and they are ready to buy once they arrive. In fact 55% of those conducting mobile research purchase within the hour and 83% purchase within the next 24 hours.
I want to share this from a 2011 blog post, “According to eMarketer , there will be 73.3 million smartphone users in the U.S. in 2011. And that number is only rising. It’s estimated that there will be more than 84 million by 2012 and over 100 million by 2014.” As of the writing of this post there are currently 7 billion mobile devices in the world today, that’s more devices than there are people. What does that tell me? Mobile is here, and it’s here to stay.
Contact the team members at Local Matters Digital to learn more about mobile marketing, and how to capture this winning strategy for your business.