 | 3 Ways to Go Mobile with Your Marketing |  | Whether you started your business five years ago or two weeks ago, you probably thought that having a website was one of the most important marketing tools you would need. You wouldn't be wrong, but now you have to extend your Internet presence beyond just having a website. As technology changes, your marketing plan should change too - mobile marketing is a must-have tactic today to ensure you are capturing more business. |
- Get a Mobile Website to Connect with Smartphone Users
Instead of talking on their phones, people are using their smartphones more frequently for the things they used to do on their computers. More than 45% of U.S. mobile phone owners have a smartphone**.
In the U.S., 69% of consumers are using their smartphones for Internet access*. They are using their phones to find products and services locally, research different products and services and make purchases. As people increasingly use their phones for all of these activities, it's important for businesses to include mobile marketing in their strategy to reach those people on the go. If your website is hard to view on a smartphone the potential customer will move onto your competitor that has a mobile friendly site with click to call features and a map to locate their business easily.
Mobile websites work in a similar manner to mobile applications. A mobile website has technology that determines the user is accessing the site from a mobile device. The website then delivers a mobile version of the website (if one exists) so that the user can more easily access the information. A mobile website is a condensed version of the desktop website that highlights key information such as operating hours, location, directions, etc.
- Look for Mobile Marketing Directories and Applications
While the Internet that you access through your smartphone is the same one that you access through your desktop or laptop, there are some applications that are specific to mobile devices. There are directories and listings such as Google Places™ Mobile, AroundMe, Siri on iPhone 4S and Yahoo!® Mobile that are designed specifically to recognize where the mobile user is and then deliver search results based on that location.
You must ensure your business is listed in mobile applications to showcase your business to mobile searches. While more and more people are accessing information through their smartphone, you do not want to miss out on sales opportunities because your business is not found on mobile applications. You can complete listings yourself to include your business in mobile directories. Or we can do it for you with our Gorilla Online Marketing product that puts your business on mobile and desktop listings — Google Places™ Mobile, Yahoo! Local Mobile and many more.
- Use Click to Call Mobile Advertising
Being listed top in the search engines for your desktop website is key in getting more traffic to a website. It's the same for mobile searching too. Mobile phone users are on the go, and when they are searching for something on their phone they are usually ready to make a purchase or visit a business. A new advertising program that is hot today is mobile advertising. With a quick search in a mobile device, a mobile ad designed specifically for your business would appear in top Google search listings when the keyword search matches your advertising program. At the very moment a mobile user is looking for your business, they are presented with an ad that has a click-to-call feature. With one click, the prospective customer can be calling you directly. It's a very powerful advertising option to connect immediately with prospective customers that are ready to buy!
As technology continues to change, people will become more focused on immediate results. If they can't find what they are looking for quickly and easily, they will move on. Don't let your prospective customers skip over you. If you don't have a mobile presence and are targeting local prospects, start considering your options to capture these customers who are ready to buy.
Call us today to discuss online marketing options for your business.
*Source: Google
** Source: Nielsen | | | | | | | | | |
