Hey online marketer, is your site Mobile Optimized?
Today I read an article in the searchengineland blog posted by Stephanie Hobbs, Vice President Of Communications at the Local Search Association entitled "Five Steps To Capturing Mobile Customers In 2012"
The following excerpts illustrate the shift that has been taking place in the way cusumers gather information and form purchasing decissions in this, the digtal age.
Citing a report by IAB’s Mobile Marketing division* that utilized information compiled by ComScore, the global leader in measuring the digital world and preferred source of digital business analytics, she goes on to state
Many people are still not grasping this shift, but if you are into marketing you need to pay close attention because the internet as we now know it is going to change forever. More people rely on their Mobile devices than on their PC. The search engine giant GOOGLE, has already shifted its focus and is now concentrating more on Mobile.... the study showed that the average mobile users have somewhat higher average incomes, with 48% earning more than $75,000 per year, versus 42% of all U.S. mobile users. Local businesses that successfully tap into mobile now will be the best positioned to reach young and wealthy customers over the long term.
About 15% of mobile shoppers look for store locations, demonstrating the importance of accurate business address, contact information and business type categorization. Local businesses should ensure that they are listed and strategically advertise on all major local sites including Yelp, Citysearch, Google Places, Yahoo Local, and many others.
Business owners should also confirm that their print and Internet Yellow Pages listings are correct, since that information streams not only to publishers’ mobile apps, but to many local sites as well. Businesses should also make this information is easily accessible in mobile-friendly versions of their websites.
Approximately 9.8% of mobile shoppers compare product prices, while 9.5% look for coupons and deals, making it clear that price is a major determining factor in predicting sales.
Local businesses should also look into posting coupons on their social media channels, featuring daily deals on sites like Groupon or LivingSocial, and other tactics that raise visibility for price-related incentives in the mobile space.
About 9.1% of mobile shoppers research product features and 8% check product availability at specific stores. Local businesses should build their mobile sites with these considerations in mind as well.
* A Comprehensive Report On Mobile IAB Mobile Marketing Division