Mobile ready for the Holiday Season

Google is projecting that 40+ percent of searches for last-minute gifts and store locator terms will take place via mobile devices this coming holiday season. Mobile searches spike in the week before Thanksgiving and before Christmas, according to Google. The number of searches taking place via mobile also continued their upward trajectory following last year’s holiday season and continues to increase as smartphone use grows.

Google’s research shows that number of queries via mobile grew nearly three times from 2009 to 2011 and continues to escalate. Despite the growth in mobile, 79 percent of Google’s largest advertisers still do not have a mobile site. The lack of a mobile presence can impact retailers’ bottom line. Google reports that 61 percent of users who experience frustration with a brand site that is not optimized for mobile are unlikely to return. Additionally, 40 percent will visit a competitor’s site.

TextCoMedia can help with some of the strategies advertisers need to get their business mobilized.

When developing a mobile site, it is important to have clear goals, review any available data to see how mobile visitors are currently interacting with a site, keep the design simple and prioritize which content needs to be available in mobile. TextCoMedia can design, build, and launch a mobile website within 24 hours to put you in the marketing position this holiday season.

It is also important to separate mobile campaigns from desktop. Google reports there is an 11.5 percent increase in click through rates when advertisers run separate campaigns on mobile and desktop.

Mobile specific ads should also have calls to action targeted at mobile users, such as “Browse our catalog from your tablet” or “Download our mobile app.” TextCoMedia can build your company a mobile app for the iPhone, iPad and Droid products. For local traffic, the call to action could be “Visit our store today” or “Checkout in-store offers.” This can help encourage in-store traffic.

Think locally, Google reports that one out of three searches on Google mobile have some sort of local intent. Mobile is an extension of your day-to-day life, which finds customers using mobile throughout the day and in all situations on the go. Additionally, 61 percent of user who have looked up a local business on their smartphone have called that business and 59 percent have visited it.

Mobile can also drive in-store activity, with 65 percent of smartphone users who have used their phone to find a nearby business also making a purchase. When incorporating a local spend into mobile advertising, it is important to clearly identify how a user can benefit from making a visit to the local store. For businesses with a physical location, it is important to include a map and directions.

TextCoMedia can offer solutions to engage with customers as you develop your Internet and Mobile Marketing campaigns.