It’s been a fairly recent development that in order to have a company, you must have a website for that company before all else. However, we've now hit the time when, in order to have a company, especially a scalable company, you need a mobile responsive site and possibly even a mobile app. And a smooth interface is a must.
On average, users carry out 221 tasks on their smartphones per day, compared to 140 on a desktop or laptop. For the first time, Google is getting more mobile search requests than desktop searches, and this is only an indication of the greater trend that other media-savvy giants have been anticipating for some time. This migration to mobile also presents new opportunities for companies to market their products.
By using time and location-based targeted ads, investing in placements that potential consumers can access on-the-go, taking advantage of mobile social media growth, using innovative new services to present your message, and being able to sell products and services with apps like Apple Pay and Google Wallet, mobile marketing can be much more effective (and fun!) than it’s ever been. Here’s what you should know about mobile marketing.
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Now Is the Time to Build a Mobile App
Mobile apps are a fun and exciting marketing tool, but they can also be expensive. Some businesses have felt that a mobile app may not worth the effort.
For startups and businesses which cater to a specific niche, mobile can offer a unique experience by providing regularly updated information that people can keep referring back to, and a mobile app can enhance company image exponentially which gains loyal followers.
One example for use is a chain of wine stores with an app that alerts users to special sales, suggests food and wine pairings, and allows users to scan and tag favorite labels for later reference. This business will have put themselves above and beyond their competitors rather quickly.
Related Article: Six Reasons Your SMB Needs Its Own App
Take Advantage of Available Apps
Particularly useful for brick and mortar shops and restaurants, directory services with location-based functions such as Yelp, Urbanspoon and Google Places can direct an amazing amount of walk-in clients to your door.
After all, it’s become de rigueur to research the restaurants in the neighborhood you’re in on a mobile phone, and then decide where to go. A little more visibility might make all the difference to getting more customers. Advertising with Twitter or Facebook can also net more potential customers from the mobile crowd.
SEO Still Reigns Supreme
As mobile searches become more ubiquitous than desktop searches, it becomes imperative to play nicely with Google’s ranking algorithms to drive more search traffic to your site.
Getting acquainted with the traditional SEO methods, and having a responsive website design (which Google favors when supplying search results for mobile searches) can put your company ahead of the competition.
To get ahead of the game, use Google Adwords to boost your brand's visibility.
Related Article: M-Day is Almost Here: Is Your Website Mobile-Friendly Yet?