Accurate information is essential for the efficient operation of any business. But in the digital age, information comes so quickly, it hard for a small business owner to absorb it all, let alone figure out how to apply it to a business model. This may be why the importance of the mobile market has yet to sink in with small business owners and marketers. But the data is out there and it is all but undeniable. Here are four stats about mobile marketing that every business owner should know, plus a little commentary on how you can use this information.
Mobile Video Campaigns Are Three Times As Effective Than Those on Desktops/Laptops
The Click-Through Rate (CTR) for video campaigns on mobile devices more than tripled over the past year, according to a report from Unruly. Additionally, online video viewers are more than three times as likely to click on a brand’s website following the video when it’s viewed on a mobile device or tablet, than when they view it on a desktop or laptop.“Everyone knows that mobile video consumption is exploding. What we’re seeing in 2013 is an increase in brands requesting mobile-only social video campaigns, with short-form video formats which are native to mobile, such as Vine and Instagram, helping to drive this growth,” said Matt Cooke, co-founder and CTO at Unruly.
For marketers, the implication is clear. Video campaigns that are designed to increase consumer awareness of a product need to include mobile-only formats like Vine and Instagram. This may mean making a teaser video to get people to watch the full content elsewhere (pretty much the only option on Vine). As the data shows, users on these platforms will click-through to learn more about the brand if their interests are piqued.
40% of Shoppers Consult Three or More Channels on Mobile Devices Before Making a Purchase
Business owners have known that people use their smartphones to help them shop for some time now. According to some estimates, up to 84 percent of shoppers use their smartphone while in brick-and-mortar shows. But new research shows that consumers are consulting their phones more than businesses think. According to one report, 40 percent of consumer check three or more channels before making a purchase.There are multiple takeaways from this research. Since more than 90 percent of small business websites aren’t mobile compatible, it means that their customers can’t check the brand’s website when they want to the most. Obviously, this is something that small business owners should address immediately. It also means they need to think about where the customers are checking and make sure their presence on that platform is also up to par. For example, ensuring that the information on the brand’s Facebook page is up-to-date an accurate is wise because a lot of people make judgements about a brand based on their social media presence.
There’s a lot of information that customers expect to find while searching online. According to one study, more than 45% of the consumers they surveyed said they use their smartphones to find store locations, compare prices, obtain product/service information, check availability, and read reviews. Marketers should make sure that this information is easy to find on a mobile-optimized site for the brand.
70% of mobile searches lead to online action within an hour
When people do searches on mobile devices, they are usually looking for information they need to make a decision at the moment or to shop for something at the moment they want to buy it. According to research from SurveyMonkey, 70 percent of searches performed on mobile devices lead to actions on websites with an hour.“How effective are mobile searches? Extremely effective (if you care about conversion that is),” wrote Norris A. A. Rawley Jr. in a release about the study. “People are constantly seeking information, so it is vital that a site is optimized to be viewed on mobile devices. And this also suggest mobile searchers are more motivated than their desktop/laptop counterparts.”
Besides encouraging business owners to optimize their sites for mobile devices, business owners should take time to consider the flow and ease of use of their websites. It’s not enough that the information is there if someone is willing to look for it. The same study from SurveyMonkey also stated that 40 percent of mobile users will visit a different site if they can’t easily find the information they are looking for on the site they are currently checking. Providing a seamless user experience is essential to getting consumer to act in that one hour timeframe mentioned before.
50% of Mobile Phone Owners Use Device As Primary Source of Internet
As has mentioned before on this blog in the past, the mobile devices have greatly changed the way that people access the internet and the overall number of people who can get online. The fact that half of mobile phone owners use their phone as their primary source of internet is made more astonishing when one considers that 91 percent of the people on the planet have a mobile phone. This means that statistically speaking, four out of every 10 people around the world use their phone as their main way to get online. This means that mobile optimization is a requirement for just about any business.This isn’t just a case of people in developing countries using mobile devices more than people in the US. Even in America, 56 percent of people use their smartphones at least once a day to access the internet. Then doesn’t include the people who see advertisements as they use apps on the phones. According to a recent report, 75 percent of Americans use their phones while in the bathroom (which presumably they do every day).
The US is at 101 percent wireless penetration. The message for marketers should be clear, mobile devices are the ideal place to reach consumers. People have them and they are using them constantly to search for information, shop, and to have fun. They may even make the occasional phone call. Marketers should embrace mobile marketing for the same reasons they embrace television or radio advertising. The mobile web has gained that level of penetration in American society.
As wireless internet speeds increases along with the power of smartphones, embracing mobile marketing will be less of an option as a necessity for small business owners within a few years. In fact, mobile use is predicted to overtake desktop usage by 2014. Business owners who see these trends early and adapt their business accordingly will benefit from increased business, greater customer loyalty, and a technological advantage over their competitors that wait until the last minute to modernize their marketing techniques.