We recently wrote about digital ad benchmarks and what they reveal about mobile vs. desktop conversions. There’s a lot to keep up with in regards to mobile in a marketing landscape changing as quickly as this one, but businesses who are seeing the most success in their embrace of mobile marketing understand these 3 things, and if you don’t want to get left in the dust, you must also.
#1) Smartphones Are Digital Portals, But They’re Also Phones
When mobile really got on its feet and became the portal to email, the Internet, and social media that we all know and (usually) love, the running joke was, Smartphones are amazing! People use them for everything even the occasional phone call! Ha ha! But that mode of thinking is not only outdated, it’s dangerous, as it risks being blind to the needs of a huge range of consumers and would-be customers. The numbers speak for themselves:
- 79% of consumers would prefer to contact a customer service center over the phone
- 68% of consumers on smartphones used the call button on a smartphone local listing
- 70% of smartphone users think a call button is important
- 67% of online shoppers will call a business directly for any purchase greater than $100
#2) Smartphones Are a Tool on the Path to Purchase, but They Don’t Do the Work for You
Consumers increasingly use their smartphones to help make a purchase decision, and often this means good things for you. After all, people using smartphones are 30% more likely visit a retailer website, 39% more likely to call a business, and 51% more likely to make a purchase. But the mere existence of smartphones and your business in the same universe is not enough to truly benefit from what can is possible as a result of their integration. You must do just that: integrate, and optimize. At this point, a responsive website is not optional. I repeat, not optional. Prospects are using their smartphone to access your site right this second, and if you’re not optimized for that user experience, they’re going to surf right on down the virtual road. As mentioned above, 70% of smartphone users think a call button is important, so ensure you have phone numbers on every page for easy connection between them and you.
#3) You’re Not the Only One Struggling to Measure Cross-Channel Performance
According to this CMO Club study, 82.2% of marketers don’t have the ability to measure cross-channel performance or return on investment. 4.7 billion people worldwide will have access to a mobile phone by the end of this year the mobile market is only getting bigger and that means digital marketers have continually more activity and behavior to track and differentiate in their reporting. You’re not alone in your struggle, but don’t get comfortable: the tools are out there to bridge the gap and you definitely don’t want to be the only one not taking advantage of them.
Surviving the mobile tsunami isn’t as hard as you think. This webinar can be your lifejacket: Riding the Impending Wave of Smartphone-Driven Calls.