Is your company or e-commerce website mobile-friendly? With a sharp rise in mobile retail activity in the past year and a dramatic increase projected within a couple of years, your mobile content marketing strategy is more important than ever. But then again, how is a mobile content strategy any different from your current approach? And how does Google’s new Hummingbird algorithm affect mobile search? All of this mobile search data is vital to your future success and easy to apply once you understand the basics.
According to a report produced by the National Retail Federation (NRF), comScore, and The Partnering Group, smartphone Internet usage in June 2013 totaled 44% of retail Internet minutes, up from 17% in June 2010. A noteworthy 55% of all Internet retail time in June 2013 came from smartphones and tablets combined. Shop.org executive director Vicki Cantrell offered this advice: “Retailers have to continue to invest to make sure they get their mobile offerings right, or will increasingly risk alienating customers and leaving significant money on the table.”
Google celebrated its 15th birthday in late September 2013 and announced their most recent update: Hummingbird. Although the average business owner may not be very interested in this news, those who sell products online should definitely take notice. Hummingbird is an algorithm designed to improve Google’s recognition of both long tails (three words or more) and natural-language queries. This is the search language most used by on-the-move mobile users and is a trend you want to be on pace with from the very beginning.
Are you ready to learn how to profit from the imminent spike in mobile retail and site visitors? Here are three ways to set yourself up for success:
Choose the Right Keywords
The phrase “mobile keyword” is getting thrown around a lot these days. For reference, a mobile keyword is a single word containing letters and numbers, but traditional keywords also work perfectly if you choose the right phrases. Companies like BoostSuite can help you analyze your long tail mobile keywords and teach you how to add these keywords to your page titles, meta description, and H1 headings, effectively optimizing your pages for both mobile and traditional organic search results.
Mobile keywords may be more unique than traditional keywords, but their purpose remains the same – if someone searches for a product you sell, you want to be on the first results page. Period. All top SEO professionals can help you achieve this and will sit down with you to select the ideal keywords based on your input.
Build a Mobile Website
If your website design is not responsive, which means its design will not adapt to a phone or tablet, chances are it looks terrible. First of all, it probably takes a long time to load, which in the mobile world is a huge disadvantage. In fact, Compuware performed a study that showed 40% of mobile users who had a bad experience with a company’s mobile site immediately turned to a competitor. Fast loading is a must to be a winner with mobile marketing and nobody likes pinching/spreading the screen four times to see what they want.
Easy scanning is also important. Making your mobile site “thumb friendly” with big buttons makes everything easier for the user. And we all know easier is better. Truth be told, the entire philosophy around your mobile website should be “less is more,” and your customers will reward you for the quick and painless browsing experience.
Create Mobile-Only Assets
Another proven tactic for satisfying mobile users is custom mobile assets. Structured as standalone content only accessible via smartphones and tablets, mobile assets give your readers valuable experience and leave your current site untouched. They are also highly customizable and an overall great opportunity for certain businesses.
Another advantage of mobile-only assets is they can be built, tested and reassigned however you see fit. You can see what is working and what is not, and adjust your mobile marketing strategy accordingly. The end result will be increased content discovery and a healthier relationship with your audience.
Experts project a 63% increase of mobile retail commerce in 2013 compared to 2012—in dollars that is $34.15 billion, up from $20.95 billion. As consumers become more mobile their spending habits must be met with searchable keywords, mobile websites, and custom mobile-only assets. The future is now when it comes to mobile retail, and with the most profitable shopping season of the year coming up, you would be wise to research your options today.
