Go Mobile or Go Home

We’ve all heard the phrase, “go big or go home.” For business owners, it tends to have significant meaning, especially from a marketing perspective. One area business owners really need to “go big” is in mobile and mobile optimization of their marketing efforts.

It still amazes me how many companies do not have mobile optimized websites. Or the number of companies that send out e-blasts that are not designed for mobile viewing. Given that in the U.S., more than 70 percent of time spent online is now on mobile devices, business owners and marketing professionals need to look at their marketing efforts from a mobile perspective.

If you’re not yet convinced, here are 15 key mobile marketing statistics to consider.

• Over 50 percent of smartphone users grab their smartphone immediately after waking up (ExpressPigeon).
• Tablet devices account for the highest add-to-cart rates on e-commerce websites at 8.58 percent (Smart Insights).
• Google says 61 percent of users are unlikely to return to a mobile site they had trouble accessing and 40 percent visit a competitor’s site instead (McKinsey & Co.).
• By 2019, mobile advertising will represent 72 percent of all U.S. digital ad spending (Marketing Land).
• 80 percent of time spent on social media happens on a mobile device (comScore).
• In 2014, smartphones accounted for over 33 percent of all online traffic compared to tablets at just over 12 percent (Marketing Land).
• Mobile email opens have grown by 180 percent in the last three years (emailmonday).
• 79 percent of people surveyed use their smartphone for reading email — a higher percentage than those who used it for making calls (emailmonday).
• Average smartphone conversion rates are up 64 percent compared to the average desktop conversion rates (CMS Report).
• 57 percent of users say they won’t recommend a business with a poorly designed mobile site (CMS Report).
• 40 percent of mobile searches have local intent (Google Mobile Moments Study).
• 70 percent of consumers delete emails immediately that don’t render well on a mobile device (Blue Hornet).
• Mobile offers are redeemed 10 times more frequently than print offers (eMarketer).
• By 2018, eight in 10 email users will likely access their email accounts exclusively from their mobile devices (emailmonday)

Now that you’re convinced, here are a few things you can do to improve your brand’s mobile experience.

First, the next time you get ready to send out an email marketing piece, have some of your employees use their own mobile devices to view it.

Second, don’t shy away from templates. Template designs have been vastly improved over the years. Choose a simple design that works for all devices

Third, if your current website is not responsive, it needs to be. It’s simply no longer an option — it’s a requirement to compete in the 21st century.

Unfortunately, many business owners are not aware that Google has shifted to a mobile-first index, which means that if your site is not optimized for mobile use, it’s not going to be served up to perspective customers searching on a mobile device. Forget “going big or going home,” it’s time to “go mobile” with your marketing.

Originally published in Sacramento Business Journal – May 4, 2017, 1:53pm PDT
© 2017 American City Business Journals