As a business owner you need to welcome the smartphone with open arms if you haven't already, because your customers aren't going to be putting them down any time soon! Take a look around and try to NOT see someone clutching onto his or her smartphone for dear life.
Our culture is becoming so dependant on these devices that it is not a surprise to find out that the amount of mobile traffic will outpace that of the PC by the start of 2014. Simply put, your business is going to need to be found on mobile devices, and here are two things you can do to make sure that happens:
1. Get Responsive: According to Google's recommended configuration, they like, "Sites that use responsive web design, i.e. sites that serve all devices on the same set of URLs, with each URL serving the same HTML to all devices and using just CSS to change how the page is rendered on the device." To make it simple, a responsive site allows everyone to access your website regardless of the device they are using.
If a potential customer lands on your website via his or her mobile device and the user experience is bad, what do you think they are going to do? They are going to quickly leave your site and find one that they can easily navigate and find what they are looking for! Smartphones have made life much easier and users demand a pleasant experience when using their devices. It is what they have come to expect. So, make sure that your website is responsive! These days, nearly every website development project that we do at MarketDominationMedia is a responsive design.
2. Local SEO: When it comes to search engine optimization, Local SEO is very similar to traditional SEO with the addition of three main components. These are Google Places for Business, reviews, and citations. There is much more to Local SEO, and I have a blog post in the works that really breaks down all of the components to a successful Local SEO campaign. Be on the lookout for that next week!
One of the most staggering facts comes from Google's mobile movement study, which revealed that 88% of consumers who search for a local business with their mobile device will either call or visit that business within 24 hours. This statistic alone should get you excited and jumping on the mobile bandwagon! If you need some more encouragement then take a look at these numbers as well:
- 70% of smartphone users use their device when shopping in-store
- 62% of smartphone users have used their device to check prices
- 50% of smartphone users use a GPS/map app in order to find a business location
- 79% of smartphone users have used their devices for shopping related activities
The number of smartphone users is growing at an alarming rate. It took the PC four years to reach 50 million users, but the smartphone reached that number in just two years. As a business owner you need to make sure that you are positioned to take advantage of this growing number. While it seems like a no-brainer, not all businesses are being proactive, as only 55% of businesses have a responsive site that is mobile friendly.
So, not only is it important to make sure that your website is responsive, but you also need to implement a Local SEO strategy in order to capitalize on the rapidly increasing mobile traffic. The Mobile Marketing Association states that "53% of American consumers use their smartphones to access search engines at least once a day." Take a look at the infographic below that we created to emphasize how important it is that your business is found on mobile devices:
Click here to see the full-sized version.