Research shows that online shopping plays a vital role in
today's market. Mobile
traffic via smartphone's has risen to 103% with no end in sight. In order
for your business and/or brand to flourish in the digital market, business
owners need to address the
mobile marketing sphere. The best way to learn about anything is via the internet...right?
- Pretend you are the searcher. Smartphone
users can attest to searching the web when they don't know much about a product
or company. The consumer will often use their mobile phone or tablet because
not only is it convenient, it's always accessible. Your business needs to have a
mobile strategy that appeals to these "Googlers."
- Search for yourself on a smartphone. All
business owners should periodically search their business or brand via smartphones.
It's also recommended to set up a Google
Alert for your brand or business, so that you know the latest consumer
searches regarding your business. Add the word ‘reviews' to the end of a search
and you'll have a great idea of what people are saying about your establishment.
When you Google your business, does the search give you directions (with a map)
of the location, the hours, menu prices and more?
Perfect example of how a food establishment should appear on Google's search engine results page.
- Optimize your Inbox. Email
marketing is the third most popular activity when mobile shopping. As a
business owner, you will handle many inquiries via your inbox; questions about
products, tweets, Facebook messages - all sent simultaneously to your phone.
Remember to provide quick customer support. If you always have your smartphone
with you, there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to address most of your
customer's concerns in a prompt manner.
- Location, location, location. As with
anyone who is unsure of where they are going, smartphone users are prone to
getting directions on their phones, before walking out the door. Making sure
your directions and map features for your brand are up to date is a great way
to make sure the customer can get to you. Your street view on Google Maps
should depict the right location as well. Reward-based check-ins
via Foursquare and Facebook are also a great way to drive traffic to your
business.
- Maintain,
update and optimize your online inventory. A detailed product page will
improve your mobile presence. A possible client will appreciate your product
images and information after they have searched for you on their smartphone. Test
and manage
your online inventory periodically.
- Yeah, you already have a mobile site but... It may not be ready for mobile. A true mobile site has a URL that starts off
as: m.blablabla.com; or a similar variant. The ‘m' is representative of a
mobile website and should load-up quickly and efficiently on a smartphone. If smartphone
users don't find your mobile website easy to navigate, they may leave in order
to find a quicker solution to their problems.
In this mobile age we are in, having a mobile-optimized site
is important for an effective mobile marketing campaign. Have you incorporated
mobile marketing for your business's online presence?