There’s a high chance you’re reading this sentence on your phone. Statistically speaking, it’s true. A high amount of our screen time is spent on our phones, and we should anticipate the same for customers. Although a majority of work is still done on desktops, we sometimes lose sight of how much time is spent on smartphones, which is why we’re providing a few helpful tips to make your digital marketing mix more mobile-friendly.
Start with social
If you’re going to be reaching people via mobile, a great first step is to start with social. While we occasionally find ourselves opening Facebook on our desktop, the vast majority of our time spent on social media is on our phones. According to Business2Community, approximately 70 percent of time spent on social media is on mobile, which shows that if you want an effective mobile strategy, starting with social isn’t a bad idea. However, as social is practically its own category in marketing, knowing where to begin starts with what your industry is most prevalent.
When looking at your social strategy, a key place to consider first is where exactly do your customers visit as well as what can you do to engage them. For example, if I sell clothing, then Instagram would probably be the best platform for me to start marketing on, and using an engagement agency like Social Gone Viral would help to establish a foundation of followers.
Remember, the goal should be for this to be a direct line to action, so having something to include a link in your bio or source of traffic will be useful in guiding that goal. As almost all of us have at some point or another have gone from scrolling through our feed to suddenly having a product in our cart, this is a mobile strategy that’s easy to start getting yourself acclimated to.
Be prepared for a variety of discovery methods
A commonly overlooked aspect of mobile is looking at how exactly people discover your website from their phones. For example, we’ve written extensively on how voice search has affected SEO practices, and with companies like Apple and Google trying to make voice command systems even more intuitive, this process is still growing and changing. And when you factor in the other aspects of discovery that people could utilize on their phones, knowing how to get traffic in the door is a must.
As you’re planning out your marketing strategies, take a look at what could be impactful for mobile on a variety of mediums. For example, as noted by Impact Bound, 50 percent of search queries are four words or longer, which if you’re planning SEO for mobile, means you should be mindful of searches that include “near me” or the name of your city.
Beyond just SEO, also consider other points of entry, such as geotags or hashtags on Twitter and Instagram. As there are a variety of places your business can be found, take your time in making sure every possible lead brings you to a similar outcome.
Don’t forget about design flow
Perhaps one of the most underrated traits of your mobile marketing mix the flow of your design. As almost every website on the internet is now responsive, it’s not enough to fit on a phone, but rather you need to have an intuitive flow for customers to experience your brand experience.
A quality design also lends itself to a better flow of information, which is a key characteristic that customers look for; as noted by Blue Corona, 69 percent of smartphone users say that they’re more likely to buy from companies with mobile sites that easily address their questions or concerns. Yes, having a smart mobile design flow is a must-have, which is why it might be a wise decision to conduct a design audit.
Run through a few different scenarios on your mobile site, including situations like what it would be like for a customer that’s visiting from social media or is discovering you from search. Furthermore, take into account the aspects of your design internally, such as what it’s like for popups to occur to sign up for your newsletter, as well as what your call-to-actions are like at the bottom. The more scenarios you’re able to run through, the better, as these are going to be crucial in closing the deal for whatever behaviour you’re looking to encourage.
Always be thinking about the pipeline
Finally, one of the biggest secrets to a successful mobile site is always to be thinking about your pipeline. While we’ve mentioned this a little bit above, the essential idea is getting in the habit of thinking “If I want someone to land on X, what position are they starting on to get there? How many steps are they going to have to take? What’s going to be my cost versus ROI?” This is becoming the norm in digital marketing, as 4 out of 5 consumers now use their smartphones to shop (as noted by Convince and Convert), which means you need to stay in the loop as well.
When making any decision about the design or flow of your process, always start with mobile and ask yourself to run through the different common scenarios. Furthermore, it’s good practice to start studying where your most likely sources are coming from, whether that be social, email, or direct links. As mobile marketing is a continuous practice, always make it a note to stay on top of these elements, ensuring that you’re covering one of the biggest digital marketing bases you have.
