There’s an often ignored blind spot in the vision of a lot of marketers these days, especially if they’re new to the game, and that’s the importance of prioritizing mobile optimization in your marketing strategies. Did you know that according to the Pew Research Center, a staggering 81% of Americans own smartphones?! That’s wild! When you think about yourself and your habits, there’s a decent chance that you do the majority of your browsing on a mobile device, even if you don’t realize it. It’s become so second nature to us, that at this point, it’s just a part of our lives.
So how, in this day and age, are there still so many businesses operating online that aren’t optimized for interaction on mobile devices? We don’t have those answers for you. All we know is that if your average user goes to a site on their phone, and interacting with it is in any way cumbersome, they’re out of there in a matter of seconds. They know there will be another site that has what they need, and usually that one will make it easier for them. Sometimes “easier” can mean one fewer button click or just a little less scrolling.
So how do you make sure your site isn’t left in the dust? We’ve compiled some handy things to think about that should keep you racing with the rest of the pack!
Searching Specifics
In the past, it was safe to assume that when you were optimizing your website for SEO, you could rely on using more general terms, and it would bring knowledge-seeking searchers to your specific page.
However, with the meteoric rise of mobile browsing, studies have shown that people searching from their mobile devices are actually more likely to be specific when it comes to the wording of their searches.
That’s right! If they’re looking for information on a product, they’re much more likely to search for that product specifically. So if you’re posting a review of a great computer mouse you reviewed recently, you’re going to have a much better chance of getting clicks by posting the name of the specific model as opposed to, “Best Mouse for Gaming” or something like that.
Ease of Navigation
As mentioned in our expertly crafted opening, the difference between someone converting after visiting your site or going elsewhere can be a single swipe of their finger.
Sounds dramatic, but there’s a decent chance that you operate this way yourself. No shame, many people do! It just needs to be taken into account.
If a website isn’t specifically designed to work intuitively on mobile devices, you’re probably shooting yourself in the foot. If it’s set to load on a phone or tablet the same way it does on a desktop computer, where does your main CTA end up? Is it normally in the upper right corner where many of them are? Well, the site is going to load showing only the top left of the page if viewed on a phone, leaving your CTA lost to a side scroll that few will endeavor. It may as well not even be there at all. Optimizing your layout so that everything fits within the confines of a mobile screen is going to be your best friend. It requires testing and a bit of trial and error, but it can be done! If you’d like us to help you with it, consider signing up for a free demo.
QR Codes Are Your Friend
As we said in a previous article, QR codes are a great way to interact with prospects, as it’s a tidy overlap between the physical and digital world.
No matter your business, a well-placed QR code with an eye-catching visual can bring in the mobile user on the go.
Sure, people will be able to find you through web searches and word of mouth, but if you’re not reaching out with an easily scannable code, you’re leaving money and valuable data on the table. Don’t forget, QR codes can be linked with Salesforce and Account Engagement (Pardot) to create personalized content like emails and landing pages, bringing you that much closer to conversion!
Consider A Mobile App
Depending on your organization, this might be a valuable asset for you! One click from a home screen, and anyone interested will have access to the information you want them to see.
Anything you can imagine can be on that front page, and anyone using the app is going to see it. Granted, this isn’t feasible for every industry as there aren’t going to be a lot of people opting to download an app for certain services, but consider this: Even if your industry isn’t specifically geared towards the app market, you can still run rewards programs and promotions through an app. “Download our app for up-to-date deals and contests” can be a powerful motivator if used in the right way. It’s up to you to determine if the development of an app can be beneficial to your organization, but make sure you’re doing the proper research before you count this option out!
Harness Attention With In-App Ads
Being aware of how your organization looks on a web browser is obviously very important, but is it the end of the story? Not by a long shot.
In fact, according to research done by eMarketer, 90% of the time spent on the internet by smartphone users is spent in apps, with a minuscule 10% being spent in a traditional mobile browser. So what does this mean for your strategy? Well, in addition to considering that mobile app we suggested, you should also be focused on placing advertisements in other apps. So many different apps have advertisements woven into the fabric of their operations that people just accept their presence. They’re an excellent way to snag people’s attention and keep it held, as a lot of in-app advertisements have a waiting period before you can even skip them. If people are spending 90% of their internet time in apps, then this needs to be a priority, and the ads need to really pull the prospects in. It can be done! We’ve clicked on an in-app ad or two in our day.
