Mobile browsing has officially eclipsed desktop browsing. According to a recent comScore report, tablet and smartphone usage now accounts for 60 percent of all online traffic, and while older Americans have historically been late adopters, their conversion to a more digital lifestyle continues to deepen. According to 2013 data from the Pew Research center, 77 percent of adults above the age of 65 have cell phones, with smartphone and tablet adoption within this demographic growing steadily. These facts make it pretty clear that you need to make sure your website is optimized for mobile use, but attracting and converting the on-the-go mobile consumer goes beyond spinning up a decent mobile site.
The Mobile Path to Purchase
Mobile users shop with different intentions than desktop users. Think about this: a patient leaves the doctor's office with an urgent need for a walker. The patient is searching for that product with an intention to buy, seeking the closest provider who has the product they need in stock. Not only does this make sense anecdotally, but there's also research to back up the fact that mobile buyers are generally closer to purchase than desktop users. Below are eye-opening stats from the 2013 Google/Nielsen "Mobile Path to Purchase" study.
- Location matters. Searchers want the business they are looking for to be close to them. According to the study, 69 percent want you to be within 5 miles of their location.
- Immediacy is key. 55 percent of mobile shoppers want to purchase within the hour and 83 percent want to purchase the same day.
- Mobile influences purchases across channels. Of those who researched on their devices, 93 percent went on to make an online or in-store purchase.
Mobile Site Optimization
When optimizing your site for mobile, you really have two options. The first is a responsive site that scales to fit the user's screen, and the second is a dedicated mobile website. However you choose to optimize your site, it is key that you create an enjoyable, easy and interactive shopping experience.
- What does your current website say to mobile visitors? Is it enticing and easy to navigate? Does it depict the products and deals you offer in an organized format? Does it communicate your brand?
- Think of your mobile store in the same way you would think of your physical store. When customers walk into your store, are they able to clearly see the top products you offer? Can they easily navigate the space? That same concept should apply to your mobile site. Give customers a reason to "walk in," and make it convenient for them to not only browse, but also to find what they're looking for.
- Make it easy for your customers to find your physical location—these are shoppers looking to buy. A mobile site that provides access to a map or point-by-point directions could mean the difference between a potential buyer choosing you and choosing your competition.
- A lot of customers visiting your mobile site may also be looking for contact information. Is that information easy to find at first glance? Are potential customers able to call you with the click of a button? Giving them the capacity to do so will increase your opportunities for engagement with customers, and likely to result in brick-and-mortar store traffic and sales.
- Even if your desktop website platform includes this information, it's not enough to capture the smartphone crowd. If customers have to squint to find your contact information, they're likely not going to take the time to do so. This is why mobile-friendly sites are so important.
Mobile Email Optimization
Knotice research asserts that 48 percent of emails last year were opened on mobile devices. If you haven't updated your email templates in a few years, chances are they may not be mobile-friendly. Here are a few tips to ensure they are.
- Utilize a responsive template. If you're using a predesigned template from an email marketing provider, be sure it's responsive. Just like responsive websites, responsive email templates are designed to automatically fit the screen on which they're being viewed.
- Select your "subject" and "from" lines carefully. Unlike desktop clients recipients who likely see a preview of your email before they decide to press "delete," mobile viewers only see a small snippet of your subject text. For example, an iPhone displays the first 30 or so characters of a subject line and the "from" field is actually displayed more prominently.
- Use call-to-action buttons instead of links. Buttons are easier for people to click on, avoiding the dreaded "fat-finger" effect.
Paid Ad Optimization
If you're investing in pay-per-click advertising, you will also want to ensure your campaigns are optimized to boost mobile conversions. Three must-dos to connect with mobile browsers are listed below.
- Enable ad extensions. Extensions are a type of ad format that show extra information ("extending" from your text ads) about your business. Extension types include call extensions, which allow people to simply click a button to call your store, and location extensions, which allow people to find your store, add a map pin and receive navigation assistance.
- Use action-oriented keywords. Broad-match keywords perform well in mobile, and adding action will help engage shoppers who are seeking your products.
- Incentivize mobile searchers. Research shows these mobile shoppers are on the go and ready to buy. Entice them with offers and calls to action that spark urgency.
Text Marketing
When you're hosting a community event or in-store promotion, how are you letting your customers know? A great way to reach customers is directly through their mobile phones. With the click of a button, you can disperse your message straight to their handheld device through a clear and concise text message. When you send a text message to your customers, they're almost guaranteed to see it. Most people are alerted when text messages arrive in their inbox—and most mobile users read those messages. In fact, research shows that between 95 and 98 percent of recipients read their texts within minutes of receipt. Mobile coupons are an increasingly effective way to reach customers and draw them into your store. Research indicates that customers are 10 times more likely to take advantage of text coupons than traditional print coupons. While text marketing can definitely work in your favor, it's important to remember that not all text marketing efforts are created equal. Before you send a text out to your customer base, ask yourself whether they'd be excited to read it. Is your text list targeted at those who have already shown interest in your products through purchases or inquiries? Would they likely come in and take advantage of the in-store promotions? Make sure you're providing them with information they'd want to receive, otherwise you will overwhelm customers and cause them to unsubscribe. Of course, text marketing doesnt work without the mobile numbers of customers you're attempting to reach. When you make a sale or help a customer with an inquiry, be sure to ask your prospect if they'd like to be notified of in-store promotions and coupons and ask how they'd prefer to get them via text, email or both.
Measure Your Success
Once you have optimized your online channels to drive mobile shoppers to your website and your store, it's time to analyze your success. Use Google Analytics to track your mobile traffic data. Once you're logged into Analytics, navigate to Audience > Mobile > Overview. Select a long date range (e.g., years or months) to identify long-term trends or select the "Week" or "Month" view from the top right of the graph to minimize distracting daily fluctuations. Just like any online marketing effort, it is important to measure the success of your mobile marketing strategy to ensure you connect with your customers wherever they are.
Read all the articles in this series at homecaremag.com/digital-sales-marketing-2015
