5 important mobile considerations for business
With the constant development of new digital technologies, mobile devices have become an integral part of our daily routine. Consumers and businesses have adapted their strategies to incorporate mobile devices, taking on apps and systems created with the user in mind. Business in the digital age must embrace the changes these smaller devices have brought to the industry and use them to gain an edge over the competition.
The more advanced mobile device technology becomes, the more it appeals to people for every aspect of life, such as scheduling, communicating, and shopping. Mobile device usage has steadily climbed in the last decade, outstripping desktop usage in 2014 and continuing to escalate into the billions for the foreseeable future.
Moreover, myriad companies were quick to realize that multichannel marketing is the answer to staying relevant. They adjusted their websites to accommodate devices, such as smartphones and tablets. Start-up companies had to be one step ahead, however. They realized the best strategies placed the needs of such devices above other digital platforms.
Smart companies jumped on board without hesitation, but it wasn’t until Google’s Mobilegeddon, an update designed to boost the SEO of mobile-friendly sites, that all companies felt pressure to adapt their marketing strategies. Several apps (designed to aid in the workplace and present solutions to note-taking, long-distance group collaborations, and other work-related issues) appeared. Companies everywhere began changing their media platforms to embrace the mobile revolution.
Many customers today access websites only through their mobile devices, making business owners hard-pressed to find content techniques that will set their site or app above the rest. Understanding what users of mobile devices want in a website can help you reassess your current strategy and integrate necessary changes. Here’s a look at some must-haves for a mobile site:
Content should come first. Users are looking for personalization and hyper-relevance in their mobile searches. Website visitors will recognize, with just one glance at a page, when their needs aren’t being met.
Content needs to be responsive. One of the biggest changes from desktop access to mobile devices is the amount of user interaction involved. When a site is accessed from a mobile device, users expect a certain level of site responsiveness.
The content that appears on a mobile device needs to be crisp, concise, and relevant. Google Think Insights conducted a Mobile Search Moments Study, which found that mobile headlines need to be bold and clear to be easily read on the go and to attract customer attention.
Video content marketing is huge. Video content reaches a wider audience than standard text audience. Short video content, such as ads, are viewed the most often on mobile phones. Short ads, informative video content, and entertaining content can all generate increased site traffic and better conversion rates.
You should design your site around mobile devices, and then change it for desktops—not the other way around. Companies must realize that mobile-first marketing does not mean taking your pre-established website and editing it to suit the needs of mobile devices. Mobile-first marketing is creating a mobile site that works and then adding to that for desktop sites.
Now that you know the biggest areas to focus on, you need to understand the business aspects. Like all company improvements, mobile marketing doesn’t come without costs, but its ROI is much higher than other forms of marketing campaigns. Your company should first define your conversion goals as part of your mobile-first strategy. Once you’ve established your conversion goals, you’ll find it easier to design your mobile site to meet those needs. Mobile-first marketing cannot be ignored by businesses for long, or else they risk being left in the dust. But many companies have focused on their desktop website and content, and do not know where to begin mobile marketing. BizLynx can help beginners and produce sites that specialize in mobile app design and content strategy.