The Mobile Revolution: Is Your Business Ready?
The other day at a business lunch, my guest pulled out his phone to show me a travel website so I could book a B&B in Manhattan. We both leaned over and watched the page load…and load…and load…until my friend snatched his phone back and offered to just send me the link later, saying sheepishly, “You can do a lot more on the site than you can with the app.”
Sign of the times? In a world where an estimated 50% of people use their mobile device as their main means of accessing the internet, it shouldn’t be. The overwhelming majority of adults today not only possess a Smartphone or tablet, they use that device to do a lot more than talk and text; savvy shoppers are making online purchases, comparing prices and searching for businesses in record numbers. How can your business take advantage of the shift?
Obviously, the Internet is just part of the equation. If you have a website that’s highly find-able on Google desktop searches and does what you want it to in terms of driving you business and representing your company, kudos to you: you’re still way ahead of the pack. Now it’s time to think about developing mobile strategies. The possibilities for mobile advertising are virtually limitless. As a leading Toronto internet marketing firm, we pride ourselves in staying current so we can help get you ready for the mobile revolution.
First, the basics: you need to know that a desktop search and a mobile search are fundamentally not the same. Why? Because Google, in its infinite wisdom, understands that a mobile user searching for a business is more likely to want to find a local business, so it works with a mobile device’s GPS to return local search results first. Because the vast majority of people are using search engines, not phone books, to find local businesses, you need to rank high up, otherwise your potential customers will just find some other local business to give their money to.
So how can you connect with local search users to generate leads? You need not only the good search engine optimization that is working for your website, but more local Toronto keywords that will boost searches performed near your business. If you don’t have a bricks and mortar location, that’s fine too – just make sure you enter all your company’s data on the free public listings provided by search engines like Google Places, Yelp and Bing. If you are stuck for keywords, look at Google Analytics for the mobile search keywords most likely to drive traffic to your website.
If creating good content and presenting it in a way that’s user-friendly for mobile devices seems beyond your current capabilities, it’s time to engage some expert help. Here are some of the ways Academic Ads can help you meet the mobile challenge:
- Develop an optimized mobile version of your existing site for handheld devices
- Develop mobile responsive new sites, striking the right balance of local and desktop-search engine optimization
- Add mobile technology to your eCommerce site (Mcommerce) to make online shopping from mobile devices a user-friendly experience for your customers
- Create effective mobile ads that users can engage with, that load quickly on mobile devices, and that increase your brand awareness
So, if you want to stay ahead of the mobile commerce curve, get a mobile optimized website or advertisement, or simply get your business up to speed, give Academic Ads a call or email us today!