Doesn't it seem we've heard that the age of mobile marketing is upon us? According to CultureLabel.com, 30% of mobile users spend an average of about 27 minutes each day text messaging, video chatting, and using the telephone. With the speed of how internet connectivity has propelled our digital age, it is more likely that your mobile device will provide you quick and easy reference to anything you can possibly need. This lead me to think about looking more into local marketing insight via mobile. Can I make you wonder?
Mobile Smart Phones Statistics
Smart phone sales have undoubtedly increased in the market and I've personally have felt lost without my smartphone by my side. Since 2010, mobile smartphones sales are up 63% + and in 2011 the amount of mobile devices sold was over 488 million. Now, I am unable to count that many times on my fingers but I can tell you that is quite a number. It is estimated that 87% of the world's population has a mobile phone. Just astonishing isn't it?
Mobile First?
So let's say for example you own a local business here in Kansas City? Many of you may ask yourself where does that leave my business? How can the age of mobile really benefit my business and why should I really participate? Well according to the parliament at Google, “mobile first“. Hrm…so are they really saying if mobile is first and you aren't participating in it, will they not give you more weight over someone who is putting a mobile marketing strategy in place on local searches? Makes you wonder doesn't it? I mean, I wouldn't put anything pass ol' googley. Look at this year alone with all the updates from them. Have you been randomly slapped by an animal like a Panda or Penguin in your search engine rankings?
Mobile Opportunity
Besides some of the “give me's” like being listed on Google Places (now apart of Google + called Google Local), a mobile website does NOT need to be a full blown version of your normal site. Just the essentials like a quick call to action, how to contact you, and how to find you. If you're a restaurant, maybe list your menu? Of course… I could go on and on with ideas here but being a local business owner you are good at what your business does. So a mobile website just needs to be a small extension to grab interest when a mobile user tries to access information about you. Ideally, you may want to reward the consumer for accessing your site by giving them a discount and certainly make sure you collect their mobile or email address for future marketing opportunities.
According to Google's “The Mobile Movement: Understanding Smartphone Users“, 9 out of 10 cell phone searches result in an action such as a purchase or visiting the business. 65% are in search for a business so they can make an in-store purchase. Let's face this fact to: mobile phone users more often than not only scan a QR code because they are wanting a discount. If you're a local business owner, what comes to mind on how you can “play ball”?
Final Take
I've seen an increase looking at numbers of the variety of websites we own and market to of mobile phone browsers accessing our sites. In the lead generation business, if your website does not give you the ability to transform and adapt to how your content is rendered on a mobile device… you are simply loosing an opportunity to convert the customer. The transition for some is slow and for others they are fast. Learning how to transform our thinking from a desktop browser to a mobile device will allow us to market more effectively to the upcoming generations and how smartphones are transforming our current society.
Dynamic, high-energy executive with history of performance-oriented leadership to e-commerce sales and marketing within the online marketing and advertising industry. MichaelStults.com is where I share my thoughts on different marketing methods, wordpress, leadership, and various topics that I feel inspired to write about. Please take time to learn more about Rare Disease at www.BriParDun.com
