Maximising Mobile – it’s the way to go!

Think about how the people around you use their mobiles today: we’re all always on, always accessible and always connected.

You, like us, will have noticed that even when they’re together, groups of teens can be seen huddled round their phones, talking to each other and a much wider circle of friends, most often on social media.

And if you’ve ever lost your mobile, well – it’s the end of the world. Your whole life is on there... emails, texts, numbers, photos – not forgetting your entire social life! Many of us can’t go for long without checking what’s happening on our phones and when you’re out and about, who do you ask for directions, opening times, event locations, recommendations and reviews???

The answers are all in your pocket.

It follows that if your business isn’t going mobile... you’re not going anywhere! Optimising your offering for mobile platforms isn’t a nice to have – it needs to be a central element of your entire marketing strategy.

So when Google’s Head of Mobile & Social Solutions talks, you need to listen!

In a recent presentation, Tim Reis revealed that no less than 73% of mobile searches trigger more action, leading to more hits on your website and so ultimately more sales opportunities.

Because, in most cases, when people make those searches, they’re actively in the market for a product or service, and if you’re not featuring in those search results, you’re missing out.

If you do feature in the results, great. But you then also need to make sure that when they click on your URL, the information downloads quickly and easily, looks good and tells them what they need to know.

It’s all about optimising every part of the mobile marketing funnel, from entry to purchase, making it easy to navigate, useful and fun. If people can’t find what they’re looking for, they’ll go elsewhere.

Go SoLoMoCo

Many gurus predict that over the next 5 years, social, local, mobile and commerce (SoLoMoCo) will continue to converge and gain momentum in an increasingly mobile and integrated world.

Mobile will be the mainstream – the main access point into commerce. So mobile will increasingly power commerce. Local remains the ‘battlefield’ – evolving with the technology to enable better, more local and personalised results. And, as ever, social is everything: defining your relationships with customers, how you’re perceived and how you can position and grow your brand more effectively.

If you’re still not convinced, do a few of your own mobile searches – try looking for a good local restaurant or even Google your own business to get a great insight into your customers’ first impressions.

Maximising Mobile – What could you do?

• Include a special offer message or coupon in your search results
• Eliminate speed bumps! Make sure the journey from search result to purchase is as smooth as it can be
• Think about your customer’s journey and what it is you want to them do – visit your website or make a purchase- tailor your message accordingly.
• Join up offline with online: lots of mobile searches are triggered by outdoor, radio and TV advertising – around 40% of people are on their smart phones while watching TV. Get on to their radar and they’ll immediately be talking about you to their social circle
• Think about what your customers are looking for and how they look for it. Google are already shaping results by accounting for what people are searching for and when and where they are searching – people at home searching for a food item are more likely to want a recipe, while someone on the street entering the same search term is more likely to be looking for a restaurant.
• Mobile is great for people finding you, but the technology also exists for you to find people! One supermarket in the US is using geo-fencing to offer customers a real-time shopping list, coupons and offers depending on which aisle they’re in...

Talk to us about creating and executing creative, tailored strategies to help your business stand out in the mobile marketplace.

And we’d love to know what you think – is it really go mobile or go home??