58% of Britons are accessing content via apps or mobile Internet (source: comScore, Jan 2012). That is nearly two-thirds of potential Internet traffic you are missing out on if you are not mobile-ready. Behaviour is shifting, with people no longer relying on a PC for Internet access. If your site isn’t optimised for a mobile device, people will simply find what they are looking for elsewhere. For many it feels like mobile strategy is another huge job to add to the list. However, it is at your peril to ignore it. Look to the positives – the ROI is certain. Not only will traffic increase, the possibilities it opens up around advertising, ecommerce and social media means that it can support all marketing tactics. Brands and companies can no longer ignore it, and it is time to act. Eric Schmidt, Google CEO, hit the nail on the head when he recently proclaimed: “mobile first in everything”. Mobile is exciting and doesn’t need to be a marketing headache. Get ahead of the curve, get mobile-ready and watch the money roll in.
Mobile optimisation
Firstly, ensure your website is optimised for mobile devices using HTML 5. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to launch an entire new site. A mobile site can be constructed using an existing website, and then modified if needed. By simply having a mobile presence, you can start to tap into that potential 58% of users browsing on smartphones and tablets. We have recently launched our mobile offering taking our sites and partner sites mobile, and are already seeing mobile traffic increasing on a weekly basis. TOWIE’s Lauren Pope set up an online dating site with us, and currently sees 27% of traffic via mobile devices. For those that are willing to invest time and money into the project, then a bespoke site dedicated to mobile consumers is a worthwhile investment. Also make sure you optimise all online communications such as any email marketing you do. Most people have email on their smartphones and will engage much better with your brand if you can give them content.
Advertising
UK mobile adspend in 2011 rose 157% reaching a new total of £203million (source: The Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) and PricewaterhouseCoopers). With a mobile ready site you can extend your offering to potential users, bringing in more traffic and revenue. Not only that, if you have more than one site, you can cross-sell on each one, allowing users to easily access and engage with more of your online / mobile content.
Mobile money
Mobile payments are also becoming more popular. Global mobile payment transactions will grow to 97% per year over the next three years, reaching a value of £591bn by 2015 (source: KPMG). Via app or mobile websites, people are increasingly purchasing on the move. Mobile banking has taken off and people are much more agile with their money. Whether it is shopping for groceries or signing up to an online dating site, people are parting with their money using their smartphones and tablets. Our beta mobile site saw a 133% in the number of members taking up full membership via mobile devices.
Word of ‘click’
Even with all the digital technology out there, the power of word of mouth is still essential to building a brand. With the technology age we saw ‘word of click’ emerge with people sharing content online. Now we are seeing ‘word of tap’. By having a mobile ready site that uses social media buttons, visitors will be able to share your content with friends and colleagues, whether it is a blog, a product, a video or even the site itself. Nothing beats third-party endorsement and allowing people to share your content/site with the tap of a finger is a great way to encourage brand interaction and points of contact.
It is clear that the future of the Internet is mobile. With the dawn of tablets, people’s PCs are no longer the only easy way of accessing online content. With exciting developments in location-based marketing and NFC (Near Field Communications) the potential for marketing campaigns to go even further in engaging with consumers is not far away. Get mobile ready and don’t miss out on the money waiting to be made.
