Studies have shown that mobile shoppers are more likely to make impulse purchases and have a greater conversion rate than their desktop counterparts. This is great news for ecommerce, providing you’re optimising the experience for these customers.
Mobile-optimised websites will appear differently to those accessing it via a mobile device such as a tablet or a smart phone. On a mobile device, the site will have larger text, simplified menus and larger buttons to allow for easier “clicking” on a touch pad. Customers don’t like tiny fonts and small buttons on their mobiles that could lead to a lot of navigational accidents. Companies that have created a mobile site early have a real edge over their slower competitors. This can lead to some real benefits, especially at the rate the mobile market is growing.
Signs that Mobile Marketing Should be on your Radar
- The IBM Online Retail Index reports that mobile ecommerce grew by 30% in the first quarter of 2013.
- Sales of smart phones have surpassed feature phones.
- Tablet sales are rising fast whereas desktops are seeing a decline.
- Google has just introduced Google Wallet, a quick way for customers to send secure payments, and it’s optimised for mobile use.
How Do I Get My Own Mobile Website?
Adapting a website for mobile, may require a design team and some level of programming. But there are alternatives. WordPress sites, for instance, automatically provide a limited level of mobile adaptation.
There are many services out there that will happily convert your site to a mobile template and help you keep track of customers that arrive for a monthly fee. You can also create a mobile site from scratch, allowing you to create marketing campaigns aimed specifically at customers who are out and about. Customers are also far more likely to positively review a company if you make life easy them.
The worst thing you can do (and this is the option far too many UK businesses are taking) is to ignore adaptation for mobile altogether. Google Analytics can give you a great run-down (for free) on what kinds of mobiles are accessing your site and what percentage of overall viewers are on a mobile device. You may be surprised by the results.
Another option is to create an app for your business. An application will also take a customer away from a product page, so you need to make sure that you stay focused on getting a conversion.
Don’t assume that smart phone marketing is only for those actively seeking to grow their business. Your existing customers will increasingly move to their smart phones. If you can’t provide them with the service they require, a competitor will.
This article is part of a sponsored service for Prowess 2.0 – Women in Business readers, from pbsmartessentials.