Tag Archives: mobile devices

A ‘Mobile’ State of Mind

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By 2019, it is estimated that there will be 5.2 billion global mobile users, up from 4.3 billion in 2014 [source]. As a business, if you’re website isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re doing a disservice to your consumers; but most of all – you are doing a great disservice to yourself. If you’re a marketer and you don’t have some sort of well thought-out mobile marketing strategy, you’re doing a disservice to your clients.

So, why mobile friendly? Why mobile marketing? Why does it matter?

image by lukew on flickr cc

Why Mobile Friendly Websites Matter for Consumers

With the average adult attention span competing with that of a goldfish, businesses need to take a hard look at the mobile friendliness of their website(s). While roughly 68% of companies have integrated mobile marketing into their overall marketing strategy, consider the following statistics, which were recently outlined by Greg Miles of SocialMediaToday:

  • 80% of internet users own a smartphone.
  • 57% of users say they won’t recommend a business with a poorly designed mobile site.
  • 83% of mobile users say that a seamless experience across all devices is very important.

Experience matters just as much as the information, services, and/or products that your business provides. When you consider the very real possibility that someone is viewing your website from a mobile device, it becomes extremely important (if not imperative) that your website measures up.

Making your website mobile-friendly is no small feat, however. Things to keep in mind include:

  • Responsive web design
  • Click-to-Call phone numbers
  • Accessibility across multiple mobile devices
  • Layout/Graphic design elements
  • Content layout (because it will display differently on mobile devices vs. desktop)
  • Other features
  • And more

In the interest of saving time and error(s), this is why it may be best to hire a professional Internet marketing company to handle the transition to mobile-friendly. After you’re set up, you can take it and run from there, adjusting things as you go.

image by miss karen on flickr cc

Reasons Why Mobile is Better for Marketers

#1 – Mobile marketing allows you to more accurately reach your target audience.

Many cell phone carriers have some sort of geographic awareness, allowing you to know the who, what, where and when’s as it pertains to consumer behavior. Of course, the one thing to keep in mind here is that the mobile device user has to grant location access permission, which would then allow you access to most of this information.

#2 – Mobile devices are prevalent and used frequently.

The majority of mobile users are on their mobile devices ALL OF THE TIME. According to Frank Powell of Mobile Marketer,

Most mobile phone users are within an arm’s reach of their devices over 90 percent of waking hours, including times when other media are not available. With mobile phone penetration near 90 percent for U.S. adults, conversations are possible all the time with everyone.

In other words, there is no reason why you shouldn’t take advantage of being able to reach your target consumers any time, any day.

#3 – Mobile marketing is easily integrated into other marketing efforts.

The information gleaned from mobile marketing campaigns is useful in all other marketing efforts – whether you’re involved in print advertising, television, radio, or organic content marketing. Because you are able to access specific information as it relates to your audience, this proves useful when putting together other marketing efforts.

#4 – Mobile marketing allows for more time sensitive interactions.

Because of the omnipresence of mobile, you can (quite literally) reach out to your target audience at the times when it matters most. Time sensitive interactions like these can also allow you to have more meaningful conversations, making it more likely that a prospect will convert.

#5 – Mobile marketing is more personal.

Because mobile devices are considered personal to the consumer, it is imperative that the marketer establishes/builds trust with prospects before embarking in a full fledged mobile marketing campaign.

Nielsen Data: How Mobile & Tablet Devices Compare While Watching TV

Interested in seeing just how important a role mobile devices play in our lives today? Take a look at the following information, gathered by Nielsen:

Nielsen: How Second Screens are Helping TV Make Fans

Understanding Cross-Platform Consumer Behavior in the Digital World

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Each day, countless consumers use multiple mobile devices to engage in shopping. Interestingly enough, there are multiple touchpoint stages that a consumer will go through before a purchase is actually made. For example:

Consumer uses tablet to browse for items

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Consumer uses laptop to research item further

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Consumer goes to store, uses mobile device to research item further

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Consumer makes in-store purchase and/or uses laptop to order online

Looking at Consumer Behavior on Digital Devices

In a 2012 study by Google called, The New Multi-screen World, Google looked at consumer behavior across multiple devices in order to study how consumer behavior has (and continues to) evolve. The following are some interesting statistics:

  • We use an average of 3 different screen combinations/day (81% smartphone + TV, 66% smartphone + laptop/pc, 66% laptop/pc + TV)
  • TV is a major catalyst for search
  • Micro-moments across multiple screens offer advertisers more touchpoint opportunities to engage consumers throughout the day – ex: someone who has 15 free minutes of time will check their bank account online, etc. via their mobile device.
  • 44% of all spur-of-the-moment searches on smartphones were to accomplish a goal compared to 43% on PCs
  • 59% of smartphone users shop online in-home
  • 84% of smartphone users shop from their PC/laptop at home
  • 81% of smartphone users engage in spur of the moment shopping versus 58% of PC/laptop users
  • 67% of us start shopping on one device and continue on another

What Online Marketers Need to Understand

Because of the increasing prevalence and saturation of mobile/digital devices in the marketplace, one could definitively conclude that mobile devices will continue to not only influence consumer buying behavior; mobile devices will also continue to function as an accessory to making purchasing decisions. Therefore, businesses need to adjust their marketing strategies and pay closer attention to how consumers use mobile devices for researching, browsing, and buying.

For example, not all digital devices are created equal. Abandoned shopping carts from mobile devices (and digital devices) may be traced back to poorly designed websites, confusing checkout screens, and the inability for users to save their progress between different digital devices. Saved shopping carts, for instance, may help to keep consumers engaged with the brand/product and encourage them to come back to complete their purchase (Amazon is a great example of this).

Marketers shouldn’t limit themselves to creating conversion goals and CTAs that are targeted for one device. Rather, marketers need to understand that consumer behavior today often includes the use of multiple devices, sometimes simultaneously. For example, Google revealed that often, smartphones are companion devices to consumers while they are watching television. During commercials, or even during shows, consumers use their smartphones to research information about what they’re watching, or they may use their smartphones to browse other un-related information.

It is during these downtimes that marketers have an excellent opportunity to convey branded messages. For instance, if your targeted audience is Baby Boomers, it may behoove you to research the prime time frame and/or shows that Boomers watch, and build your marketing messages/collateral into a format that is readily and easily available to them – whether its ads on Facebook, Twitter, or some other online spot.

Final Questions

  • What sorts of digital devices is your target audience using?
  • If you’re a marketer, how can you help your clients achieve more visibility through studying consumer behavior?
  • What strategies do you plan to put into place to tie into how consumers interact with their digital devices?

[source]