Recently I was driving through the campus of our local university and noticed a striking similarity between the majority of students walking to and from class. What was that similarity you ask? They were all walking with their eyes focused firmly on their smart phones.
I have no idea if they were texting, tweeting, updating Facebook, surfing the web, or simply looking for a friend’s number to call, but the fact remains that everyone (and I mean EVERYONE!) under the age of 25 is on a mobile device constantly.
Have you sat at a traffic light and glanced over at the car in the lane next to you recently? If so, more than likely you’ve noticed the driver (and passengers) in the car typing away on their phone.
Mobile is here to stay. It’s no longer the next big thing, it’s here now, and growing exponentially. The latest predictions are that by next year (2014), more people will be accessing the internet on a mobile device than on a traditional desktop computer!
According to Google, over 50% of all local searches (e.g., Bowling Green, Ky Electrician) are performed on a mobile device. And on top of that, 62% of companies that have a mobile optimized website see an increase in sales, according to Econsultancy.
So what does this mean for your business and how does it affect your marketing? Don’t worry, we’re getting to that.
If your website isn’t optimized for mobile, you’re in trouble. Have you taken a look at your site on a mobile device recently? How does it look? Is it easy to read, or do you have to pinch and zoom in order to read it? If your customers, clients, or potential customers & clients are using a phone or tablet to search for your business, look up directions, read your content, or to purchase your products and services online, your site HAS TO BE mobile friendly. If it’s not, they’re going to purchase from a competitor whose site is optimized for the mobile web.
When using Google Analytics or another analytics tracking software, I would recommend checking to see what percentage of your site visitors are accessing your website on a mobile device.
If you want a quick way to test your website and see how it looks across all types of mobile devices, we’ve recently put together a tool that will enable you to do just that. It’s a mobile website tester, and I’d encourage you to check it out right now.
Ok. How did your site look? Good, bad, in between? That’s the litmus test. What you saw using that tool is what your customers are seeing as well. If you don’t like the way your site currently looks and behaves on a mobile device, you have three options to improve it. They are: build a mobile website, install a mobile site plugin, or have your site rebuilt using mobile responsive design.
Mobile Options
When it comes to making your website mobile friendly, there a few few options you can take:
1. Mobile Website
Pros: Detects when a mobile device is used to view site and serves up a separate mobile site. Better for e-commerce and content heavy sites.
Cons: It is a 2nd website you have to manage and update. It will cost more long term. There can be negative search engine ramifications since you’re splitting your content onto two websites.
2. Mobile Plugin
Pros: It is usually simple and easy to set up. Typically the least expensive option. Only one website to manage.
Cons: It is extremely unattractive and looks nothing like the desktop version of your site. Can be hard to navigate. Not a good long-term solution.
3. Mobile Responsive Design
Pros: Only one website to manage. Keeps the same look and feel of your regular site. All content remains the same, only the format changes. It’s the most Google-friendly of the 3 options. Will “respond” to any device size by automatically displaying a version optimized for the specific device a user is on. Less cost long term than a separate mobile site.
Cons: Typically requires a complete website redesign. Initial development is slightly more expensive. For huge websites with hundreds of pages it can be hard to navigate.
Our Preference
My preferred method for mobile friendly websites is mobile responsive design. In fact, SpearsMarketing.com is built using this technology. If you’re on a desktop computer, shrink your browser window down to see the content “respond” to change in size.
Who knows what new and advanced technology will come down the road in the future. But for now, mobile responsive design appears to be the most “future-proof” of the available options.
Two other excellent examples of popular websites using mobile responsive design are the Boston Globe and Starbucks.
So what are you going to do to improve the mobile presence of your business website?
Image Credit Ed Yourdon
Is Your Business Ready for Mobile Search?
You probably know this already, but people aren’t using the internet in the same way they once did. Only a few short years ago, the internet resided within a big box on your desk.
Not any more. Now it’s in your pocket. You take it wherever you go. It’s always with you and always on.
Mobile phones have revolutionized the way people communicate. No longer just for talking and texting, today’s smart phones like the iPhone, Blackberry, and Android have computing capabilities far more powerful than desktop computers had just a few years ago.
Not only are smart phones a highly efficient way to stay in touch and communicate while on the go, they are the quickest way for consumers to find local products or services; and an invaluable tool for businesses in communicating with these potential customers.
Mobile Search?
Smart phones allow consumers to search just as they would on a computer, but without the restriction of being tied to a computer desk.
When a potential customer searches and finds you on his smart phone, he has the option to simply click “call” or “email” and communicate with you immediately. In today’s instant gratification society, this is priceless!
People carry their mobile phones everywhere, so optimizing your business website to show up in mobile search results will help you reach customers, even in places where they don’t have access to a computer.
Suppose for example that Mary is out shopping when her son calls to tell her the kitchen sink pipe busted and water is leaking everywhere! Since Mary has her iPhone with her, she can simply “Google” ‘emergency plumber’ and clicks to call the first result that is listed. If you are the plumber listed at the top of the mobile search results, you get Mary’s business!
The number of people using smart phones for local searches is doubling annually, and according to many predictions, will soon be the most common way to search for local products and services.
Is Your Business “Mobile Friendly”?
So how does that relate to your business? Good question. When was the last time you took a look at your website from your phone? Has it been a while? If so, pull out your phone and check out your site. Do it now. It’s OK, I’ll wait.
Done? OK. What did it look like? Did you like what you saw? Is it easy to read the content and view the pictures? Or do you have to pinch and zoom in order to read anything? Does the site make you want to come in and have your car serviced? Or do you want to search for another company whose site is easier to use?
Guess what, that is the exact conversation your potential customers are having when they pull up your website on their phones. If your site isn’t mobile friendly, they’re most likely going somewhere else to have their car taken care of. If they can’t click on your phone to call you directly, you’re losing their business. If they can’t access your web form to email you, you’re losing their business. If there isn’t a map on your site to see your location and get directions, you’re their losing business.
According to the latest statistical research, by 2014 the internet will be accessed by more users on a mobile device than on a desktop computer! Crazy, huh? Don’t believe me? Check out this article.
So what should you do if your business website isn’t providing a good experience to mobile users? What options do you have to fix this serious issue?
How to Fix Mobile Website Issues
There are basically two options you can take. The first is to have a mobile website built that will automatically display when someone on a mobile device views your site. The drawback to this option is now there are two websites you have to manage, update, and pay for.
The second option is to have your entire site redesigned using a new technology called “mobile responsive design”. What this does is allow your main website to display the same content but in a different layout depending upon the device that someone uses to view your website.
There’s only one website, but it will “respond” to the device size used. Another term for this is “device agnostic.” This is the method that I recommend clients use, as it usually saves both money and time.
There is only one site to maintain and update, so it saves you time. Also, if you need a website upgrade anyway, it will be less expensive to have a mobile responsive site built than a standard fixed width site and a separate mobile site.
Here’s what Google has to say about having a mobile-friendly web presence:
Is your website optimized for mobile searches so that potential customers can find and contact you in a single click on their phone? If not, you have work to do!
Does Your Business Need Mobile Marketing?
Business is changing. Changing so fast that it’s a full time job just to keep up with the changes. Marketing & advertising especially. When it comes to the tech & web side of business, it’s changing even more. In case you’ve been living under a rock for the past couple years, let me point out a few examples.
Text messaging. Smart phones. Mobile apps. Voice search. Your customers are using all of these, but can you reach them through the new mobile medium? As your customers adopt wireless communications to their on-the-go lifestyle, your job as a business owner is to reach them where they are, which happens to be on a cell phone or other mobile device. Mobile marketing is the most effect way to accomplish this.
- 93% of Americans own a cell phone
- 75% of these users send or receive text messages
- 95% of text messages are read
If your business can’t be found via mobile search, you’re losing customers.
If your business doesn’t have a way to contact customers instantly, you’re losing sales.
If your advertising is unseen or ignored, you’re irrelevant.
The most effective advertising in today’s economy is mobile marketing.
- Consumers no longer use the yellow pages for anything more than a door stop. Spending $1000’s of dollars in the phone book is a huge waste of money for most businesses.
- TV viewership is at an all time low. Those ads that used to bring in traffic don’t work anymore because of Tivo, Netflix, and Youtube.
- Radio stations are fighting to stay on air. Listeners have switched from local FM stations to satellite and internet radio, as well as their own created stations through iTunes, Pandora, and Spotify.
- Billboards are extremely expensive and at a premium due to city regulations and competition. (Plus, everyone’s so busy texting that they’re not paying attention to billboards anyway!)
- Even the more recent online avenues such as pay-per-click and search engine marketing has gotten more competitive and expensive.
- The internet is changing quicker than ever. No longer is it located just on your desktop computer. With laptops, the ipad, tablets, mobile web, and smart phones, it’s changing faster than anyone ever thought possible.
So where does that leave you, the small business owner, trying to grow a business, attract new customers, keep down costs, and increase profits? Mobile, that’s where. Everything is shifting to the mobile space; internet use, social media, advertising, your customers.
Mobile Applications, or just “apps”, for short, are the way of the future. Take a walk down the street or through the local mall. See how many people are staring down at their phones? Guess what…if they have any type of smart phone, they’re undoubtably using a mobile app.
Whether it’s for social media, games, performing a web search, or checking out the daily specials at a favorite restaurant, apps extend the basic cell phone functionality to that of a full computer.
Does Your Business Need an App?
How can a mobile app help your business? Especially if you already have a website…or maybe even a mobile site?
The answer is a resounding “YES!” and here’s how:
A mobile app gives you the ability to:
- Send push notifications to user phones. This is 10 times more effective than email and is instantaneous!
- Give your app users step by step directions to your location through their phone’s GPS.
- Allow users the ability to access a list of information, menu, employees, and more, directly though their phone.
- More exposure for your business in the app stores. Ten’s of thousands of app searches are performed each day.
- Allows users to connect with your business in both a social, and mobile way.
- Distribute coupons directly to your loyal customers who have download your app.
- Set your business apart from your competitors who don’t have an app!
So how does that sound… intriguing? To wet your appetite even more, Spears Marketing is getting ready to roll out a VERY affordable option for small businesses to get their very own iPhone, Android, and HTML5 mobile app. More details to follow soon.
Imagine being able to send a message to all your customers about an upcoming sale with just one click, and have 95% percent of them read it? Text/SMS marketing is how you do it.
How about sending out a coupon to potential customers who are already searching for your product or service?
What if your business had it’s own iPhone or Android app that loyal customers could download for their phone, and which you can update with your latest news, sales and more?
These are all possible with mobile marketing. It’s not where the internet and commerce is headed. It’s where it is now! If you’re not going mobile, you’re losing business!
Can’t wait? Contact us to learn how we can help you out with a mobile app even sooner!
Why Your Business Needs a Mobile Presence
There is a whole generation growing up right now who think the internet is only found on their phone. They’re not using a desktop or laptop computer. They’re on smart phones, tablets, and ipods. If your website and marketing plan isn’t ready for this mobile presence shift, you’re in BIG trouble.
Obviously having a mobile friendly website is the first step, but a close second may be text message marketing.
If you own an automotive shop, what if there was a way for you to send out a text message to all those past customers when they are due for an oil change or routine maintenance? Guess what, you can. And here’s how it works.
When a customer comes into your store, you ask for their cell phone number to add to their account in your database. In return they get a small discount off of the current service you’re providing. When the elapsed time between standard servicing has been reached, you can send them a text reminder to come in for service. They get this instantly!
Another way to do this is when a customer comes in for service, you give them a card with a specific numerical or alphabetical code which they will text to a number provided by your text marketing service provider. They will then automatically receive a small discount coupon texted back to them, and be added to your sms/text messaging group list. You can then message the entire group about specials, service reminders, and automotive tips.
Marketing is connecting. Marketing is selling in advance. Marketing is helping potential customers to know, like, and trust you. As the mobile shift continues to grow and evolve, it’s going to be harder and harder to do this without a strategic mobile presence in place.
Google recently came out with some updated statistics on mobile usage. If you think that your customers aren’t the smart phone type, or are not looking up your business info on their phones, think again.
- 94% of smartphone owners look for local information on their phone
- Google conducts 30 million click-to-calls each month
- 81% of mobile searches are driven by speed and convenience, even when people are at home with access to other devices
- When people use mobile search they are 39% more likely to call a business
- 40% of smart phone users will click another mobile result if a site isn’t mobile friendly
Connecting with customers where they are at is one of the hallmarks of effective marketing. Even though I don’t know who your customers are, I’ll bet that no matter where they are physically located, they’re going to have their mobile phone with them on a regular basis. So the question for you as a business owner is: “how do I reach customers on their mobile device?”
Fortunately, Google has put together a resource called the Mobile Playbook. It’s designed to help your business get up to speed on all the latest search, social, and mobile options. I highly recommend checking it out.
If you’re a visual learner, like me, the infographic below will give a better sense of where mobile is at.
Finally, if you want to learn a little more about mobile marketing and improving your business presence with mobile, check out the podcast episode “Mobilizing Your Website” on the Social Media Marketing podcast.
How does your business’ mobile presence stack up?
