Mobile advertising should be an investment priority for any successful business

In the modern age, people rely on their smartphones more than ever. Whether it be booking airline tickets or finding a place to eat, people are going mobile at an increasing rate.

The moment when a customer is searching for information and evaluating alternatives is the most crucial for you. Purchase decision-making no longer necessarily takes place when customers are in your store or window-shopping. More likely, the purchase decision has already been made on a smartphone the previous night in bed or on the way to work.

In addition, as many as 82% of smartphone-users report using their devices to search for information and to evaluate and compare alternatives even while they’re physically in-store.

Although the importance of mobile-friendly websites is becoming a widely accepted part of conventional wisdom, less widely understood is where customers actually come from and being present at the right time when they’re looking for inspiration. In Scandinavia, a large part of smartphone-owners report using their devices especially in the early stages of the purchase chain or buying decision process, when they’re searching for information. Far from an ephemeral trend, this is steadily becoming a self-evident staple of consumer behavior. Mobile advertising should therefore be a high priority for any future-oriented company looking to succeed.

If your customers begin their decision-making process on mobile, why would you neglect to capitalize on this opportunity and wait for them to maybe end up on your website from their desktop after evaluating alternatives?

Smarphone Use - Mobile Advertising

Mobile purchasing is no longer a rare occurrence, although the inherent cautiousness of Nordic consumer behavior has somewhat inhibited its widespread adoption. Approximately 30% of Scandinavian smartphone-users have made mobile purchases while in the UK and USA, for example, the corresponding figures are 40% and 45% respectively. However, the ever-increasing sophistication of mobile optimization at the heart of this trend means that its continuing growth is guaranteed. The expanding array of mobile-friendly websites, streamlined apps, mobile advertising, social media extensions and numerous new payment options have constantly increased the amount of completed mobile purchases.

Mobile Purchases - Mobile Advertising

One of the major obstacles for the completion of mobile transactions has been small display sizes which make website navigation cumbersome and product comparison difficult. The trend towards larger display sizes will however ameliorate this nagging problem, as the high rate of shopping cart abandonment tends drops quite quickly to more tolerable levels on bigger screens.

Purchases Fails Reasons - MobileAdvertising

Source:

Think-Insights-Google

How you can turn mobile users into customers

1. Design your website with mobile users in mind

Mobile-friendly websites are quickly becoming crucial for e-commerce success online. If your website doesn’t work perfectly on both smartphones and tablets, it’s about time to make it a high priority. If your website is difficult to navigate, your customer will have to switch to another device, increasing the risk that you’ll him in the process.

You’ll also have to pay attention to the mobile conversion rate and make the necessary adjustments to turn visitors into buyers with greater frequency (this is called conversion rate optimization). Often even simple layout modifications like relocating buttons and different colors will produce the desired effect.

2. Mobile advertising and AdWords

AdWords advertising enables the accurate targeting and optimization for mobile devices as well as effective extensions. These will let you reach your potential customers at the stage when they are searching for information and ideas as well as make your ads attractive specifically for mobile users.

What is more, the mobile extensions offered by Google mean that instead of clicking a link the customer can conveniently call and ask for more information or book a reservation or appointment, for instance. Extensions are a handy way to engage people seeking information and turn them into customers. If your website’s mobile usability is not yet topnotch, you probably won’t want to direct traffic there.

3. Social media

With people spending record amounts of their spare time there, activity on social media is a fine way to reach mobile users. Once you combine interesting content and paid advertising, you’ll get people’s attention before they know they’re your customers. This is especially crucial and worthwhile if your website’s mobile usability is sub-par, as your social media profile and product ads can in fact take on the role of your “mobile site”.

4. Make switching devices easier at different stages of the buying process

Although it’s possible to make mobile purchasing easier through a variety of means, the unavoidable fact is that the majority of people will still use multiple devices during the buying process. It’s not uncommon for customers to search for information on their smartphone, evaluate alternatives and compare prices on their tablet and then finalize the purchase from their laptop or desktop. Switching devices will obviously increase the risk of losing your customer in the process.

Once we’ve successfully mapped the problem areas of your website, offering different alternatives to your multi-device customers will become much easier. For example, if you’re losing customers during the contact phase, adding new contact methods or a downloadable catalogue can help save good leads.

mobile friendly websites

How to make switching devices convenient

A) Add easy-to-use social media buttons on your website. Those who “like” your site will see your messages across devices, making social media buttons a splendid remarketing channel. People are often just spending time online without much thought or browsing with no specific purchase in mind when they run into your service on their mobile devices. This doesn’t mean, however, that you can’t turn them into customers later. Once acquainted with your “likable” service, they’ll come back once they’re ready to make the purchase.

B) Let your website visitors find you from their e-mail.​ E-mail is still an underappreciated way to attract customers back to your website from their computer. Depending on your field and service, there’s a variety of options. With a small reward, customers will share their e-mail address with you.

Examples​:

  • A downloadable catalogue or brochure
  • Competition with prizes
  • Callback request
  • Contact form Newsletter

How to close the deal on mobile

Although a large part of mobile traffic won’t result in an actual purchase, turning visitors into customers should still be your objective. It’s highly likely that in a few years smartphones and tablets will be used to make purchases as much as traditional desktops or laptops. In addition to other technical aspects, this requires focus on factors such as:

1. Payment options

If your business is based on customers wading their way through a poorly optimized website only to then have to dig up bank account codes from their wallet, it shouldn’t be a shock if purchases fail to finalize. By contrast, mobile wallets make payment a seamless and effortless process. The more convenient the completion of a purchase, the more sales you’ll generate.

2. Product and price comparison

Scandinavians are notoriously punctilious when it comes to price comparison and product evaluation. If this is not possible or readily available on your website, you’re basically giving yet another reason to postpone the purchase. The more interruptions in the buying process, the greater the risk of losing your customer. The comparison of detailed product information must be as smooth as possible to eliminate this barrier to complete the transaction.

3. Mobile apps

As mobile optimization is still in its infancy, having a sophisticated and streamlined app with smooth usability is a crystal-clear competitive advantage, guaranteed to distinguish yourself from rivals. Also, the easier and faster the transition from information searching and evaluation to actual purchasing, the lesser the risk of losing your customer in the process and the greater the likelihood of impulsive buying.

Although developing an app may cost you in the short term, early movers are well-poised to establish and cement a dominant market position at this critical stage of technology adoption. This is especially true if the service or product you are offering is not a one-time purchase, as customer engagement then becomes crucial for long-term success. What better way to promote brand loyalty than an unrivalled user experience?

Mobile advertising is a way to reach customers whenever and wherever. Purchase decisions are increasingly made on-the-go or in unusual places and advertising campaigns should reflect this. By utilizing the correct channels, you can considerably expand your customer base.

Are you interested in mobile advertising or further discussion of alternative options? Don’t hesitate to contact us.

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