Your customers are going mobile–are you going with them?

Article from:  SWFL Business Today February Issue

Hearing the words mobile marketing, most small business owners think of iPhone apps, Andriod apps, or mobile websites.  They wonder if they need an app to get into mobile marketing.  In a previous article, I addressed how small businesses could use third party SMS/texting technologies to reach their mobile customers.  In this article, I will talk about the rapidly changing mobile market and the requirement for small businesses to review their need for adding an optimized mobile website (one that fits the small phone screen).

Mobile facts first:  Smartphone ownership has more than doubled in the last 24 months. That means that more than 44% of all mobile phone users in the US have a Smartphone as of the end of 2011. That number is accelerating and expected to hit 60% by the end of 2012. That means more than 150 million mobile users in the US will have a Smartphone by the end of this year. When you consider that far more web searching will be done via Smartphones rather than PC desktops by 2013 (Google), the mobile web is rapidly becoming the new area small businesses need to integrate into their overall marketing strategy. 

Customers are connecting more with local business on their mobile phone. A whopping 95% of Smartphone users have searched for local information. Moreover, 61% of users call a business after searching and 59% of those visit the location. As well, 90% of these people act within 24 hours (Google – “Understand Smartphone Users”).

So what is the mobile web and how do you determine whether you need a mobile website? The fastest way to determine if a business should add a mobile version of their website is to open their site on a Smartphone to see what their customers are experiencing.  If the site does not fit the phone’s small screen and is hard to navigate to find information, then the business needs to consider adding a mobile website.

In addition, if you are using Google Analytics to measure your website traffic, Google added a new feature allowing you to track mobile device activity. This is another way you can see if your website is being viewed often on mobile devices.  If you are using a web marketing company to manage your SEO, ask them for the mobile stats.

If a mobile site does not load in three seconds the user will move on to another site, according to Google.  Compuware says mobile users expect a mobile experience to be as good as their desktop experience.  As well, Compuware research has shown that a bad mobile experience can cost you customers. If they can’t find your location and phone number easily they will move to another site.

After you have determined whether you need a mobile site, there are many things to consider in creating an effective mobile site and avoiding missed opportunities.  Here are three key elements that you need to consider to provide a successful mobile experience for your customer. First, your users are busy and short on time so make the experience fast; create a site that loads quickly providing the features and content the users need most.  Second, no one likes to be confused. Simplify the navigation by using seven links or less per page of navigation. Third, add calls-to-action like the business phone number, link to Google maps for your location, etc.  After the site is built make sure you have the redirect codes added to your desktop site so users searching for your site on their mobile phone will be redirected to your mobile site first. Also, always offer a way for the users to click to go to your business’s full website.

As you can tell, the mobile Smartphone market is changing very quickly and your customers are moving into this market at lightning speed.  In less than 24 months Smartphones have grown from 18% of the mobile market to 44% with 51% of Smartphone users now female.  In a future article I will address another aspect of the mobile market that will be affecting the small business mobile commerce. If your business sells products in an e-commerce model today, you will probably be building an m-commerce mobile site in the not-too-distant future.

This is a very creative time for mobile marketing and, in a lot of ways, a game changer for some small businesses in the way they market and connect with their customers, while providing exciting opportunities for small businesses to increase sales. Your customers are going mobile-are you going to be going with them?  For more information call Dolphin Global Tech at 239-430-7003 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it    www.dolphinglobaltech.com