The Importance of a Mobile Search Strategy

Increasingly, mobile’s importance in our lives is becoming more evident. Our mobile phones can essentially be considered a permanent fixture of our daily routines. Can you leave home without it?

In conjunction with Nielsen, Google’s new report, “Mobile Search Moments: Understanding How Mobile Drives Conversions”, attempts to decipher what triggers people to do mobile searches and when, what actions follow as a result and how marketers can utilize this intelligence. This report explains the measurable connections between mobile searches and their correlated online and offline conversions.

What are the main drivers for mobile searches? Speed and convenience, with 77% of mobile searches performed in a location (work or home) likely to have a PC available to them.

Here are a few additional highlights from the report:

• 45% of all mobile searches are goal-oriented and conducted to help make a decision

• 81% of conversions (store visit, call or purchase) triggered by mobile search occur within 5 hours

• 55% of conversions from mobile searches happen within one hour

As a key factor in the decision-making process, a mobile search strategy is an essential piece of your overall marketing strategy.

What mobile search opportunities do you see for your business? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.

Like this post? Connect with Erika Barbosa on Google+.

Image credit: Johan Larsson

Improving Your Business’s Position in Foursquare’s Search Engine

As Foursquare continues to mature into more than just a check-in service, businesses are paying more attention to their position in the service’s search engine. Foursquare has been focusing heavily on localized search and harnessing the power of their check-in data.

Compared to traditional search engines and SEO, Foursquare’s search engine is nearly impossible to influence with typical SEO tactics. Your business will not rise to the top of the search results by optimizing or building links to your listing. So how do you increase your position in the service’s search results?

Let’s start first and foremost with check-ins. Encouraging visitors to “check-in” at your location, for each and every visit, will only aid in improving your position in the search results. The number one signal that Foursquare uses to determine rankings are check-ins.

Don’t be afraid to ask for the check-in, too. For instance, in a local Offerdahl’s Café Grill that I visit, they have a Foursquare check-in sticker on the door that you can’t avoid as you walk in. Then, as you proceed to read the menu and give your order, there is another sign encouraging you to check-in. Needless to say, I never forget to check-in while I’m there.

Other factors that may affect your rankings to some degree include “likes”, the number of tips, photos and lists your business is added to. Get creative when encouraging visitors to take these actions. Your customers will appreciate discounts, coupons, and specials for taking the time to check-in and leave a tip.

How do you encourage patrons to check-in at your location?

Like this post? Connect with Erika Barbosa on Google+.

10 Eye-Opening Mobile Usage Statistics of Consumers

Throughout the typical day, how often do you have your cell phone within arm’s reach? I’m guessing if the phone isn’t in your pocket then it is sitting right next to you. Keeping your own phone usage behavior in mind, more often consumers are using multiple screens to get what they need. A consumer’s search is no longer limited to the desktop.

The smartphone has become an extension of many of us above all else. As a result, when you need to find something, you are more than likely going to grab your smartphone and initiate the search.

In a recent Google study, they provided insights into just how impactful a mobile-friendly site is when turning visitors into customers. Let’s check out 10 eye-opening statistics:

1. 61% of people said that they’d quickly visit another site if they didn’t find what they were looking for right away on a mobile site

2. 67% of people are more likely to buy from a mobile-friendly site, so if that site is not yours, it’s your competitors

3. 96% of people say they’ve encountered sites that were clearly not designed for mobile devices even though nearly 75% of people prefer a mobile-friendly site

4. 74% of people say they’re more likely to return to a mobile-friendly site in the future

5. 67% of people say that they’re more likely to buy a site’s product or service when they visit a mobile-friendly site

6. 50% of people said that even if they like a business, they will use them less often if the website isn't mobile-friendly

7. 48% of people say they feel frustrated and annoyed when they get to a site that’s not mobile-friendly

8. 36% of people said they felt like they’ve wasted their time by visiting sites that are not mobile-friendly

9. 52% of people said that a bad mobile experience made them less likely to engage with a company

10. 48% of people said that if a site didn’t work well on their smartphones, it made them feel like the company didn’t care about their business

These statistics clearly illustrate the opportunity for your business to give consumers what your competitors perhaps aren't. How do you see your business evolving with mobile?

Like this post? Connect with Erika Barbosa on Google+.

Image credit: melbow

How Consumers Use Multiple Screens to Get What They Need

In our “always on the go” lifestyles, consumers have evolved their digital consumption behaviors to reflect our current multi-screen worlds.

As a result, it’s imperative that you understand consumers’ behaviors across the multiple platforms. In Google’s new report, The New Multi-screen World: Understanding Cross-Platform Consumer Behavior, they provide the statistic that 90% of people move between devices to accomplish a goal, whether that’s on smartphones, PCs, tablets or TV.

What does the multi-screen approach mean exactly? Say for example that you need to book a dinner reservation for a big meeting. You start searching on your smartphone for the best hot spots in town to get a better idea of where to host the meeting. Later on in the morning, you continue the search on your laptop now that you are in the office. And finally, once you have the perfect restaurant in mind, you book the reservation on your PC later on that night. The multi-screen approach proved to be more convenient in your search for the ideal restaurant.

The importance of structuring your online presence for mobile, tablets and multiple screens becomes more of a necessity every day. It’s crucial that you understand how consumers want to interact with your brand and adapt to those needs.

Google’s full research report explains further useful statistics and findings on the topic.

How is your business accommodating this behavior?

Like this post? Connect with Erika Barbosa on Google+.

Image Credit: lorisflickr

Google Places: 5 Reasons To Claim Your Listing

Google Places is a great way for your local business to harness the power of the web. Your free web listing includes a business address, hours of operation, email, web address, photos, videos and even customer reviews.

1) It's Good SEO

Your Google Places listing is just one piece of your SEO puzzle considering that these listings usually appear at the top of local search queries such as "best italian food". Having your local business appear at the top of the results for your location and category is a good thing. Your Google Places listing also gets you a red push pin on Google Maps allowing users to click on the push pin to see more information about your business.

2) One Word: Mobile

According to the Official Google blog, by the end of 2011, over one billion people will be connected to the web via a mobile device and over 50% of Americans will own a smart phone. Users who find your listing can click to call instantly or get turn by turn directions via Google Maps.

3) Social Rules

Your listing will usually have a star rating and a link to customer reviews. What better way to encourage someone to visit your business? Everyone is talking about it and the news is good!

4) Video

Video is playing a very important role in online marketing these days. Google Places will allow you to post up to 5 videos (and 10 photos) for free. Testimonials, reviews, tours of the business and interviews with your staff are all great ways to invite new customers to check you out.

5) Analytics

In addition to Google Analytics, your page account collects important data about who's looking for you such as top search queries and clicks to your site. It's not as robust as Google Analytics but useful nonetheless.

Have you claimed your Google Places listing? Get to it!

InternetMarketingClub.org Presents Low and No Cost Local & Mobile Search Marketing

Join Mike Monahan, Director of Internet Marketing for World Travel Holdings as he presents, “Low and No Cost Local & Mobile Search Marketing”. Learn how everyone from Small Individual Businesses, Large Franchises and Retail Organizations can Leverage the Growth of Local and Mobile Search to grow their businesses.

This presentation will explain the following topics:

• Answer the question of: Why Local?
• Best Practices for using Free Local Listings
• Understanding On-Page Factors in Local SEO
• The Future of Local Search and Mobile Marketing

This free webinar will take place Wednesday, August 4, 2010 12:30pmEST – 1:30pmEST. To register and for more information please visit: Low and No Cost Local & Mobile Search Marketing

Click-To-Call Mobile Advertising

Google recently introduced click-to-call phone numbers in local pay per click ads on mobile devices. Now, if you have Adwords pay per click ads targeted on mobile devices with full internet browsers, you can include a phone number which people can call with a simple click. Included in this update is new tracking data that allows you to track the number of people who called you from clicking on an ad.

It is often the case in pay per click advertising that including a phone number in the ad copy can increase click through rates. This also holds true for click-to-call mobile advertising as seen in data gathered from beta testing that shows an increase in both website visits and phone calls as a result of adding a click-to-call number.

Mobile Search Suggestions Based on Location

As smartphones are becoming more and more popular, Google is making every effort it can to simplify search on these devices. Most recently, Google announced that the search suggestions (the suggested searches that are displayed when you begin typing a search phrase) will be based on the current location of your phone.

If someone searches "library" on their mobile device in Boca Raton FL, suggestions such as "library boca raton" will be displayed in an attempt to make the suggestions more relevant. To ensure that location search suggestions are enabled on your mobile browser, go to google.com and select "save recent locations" and "allow use of device location" under the settings link on Google's homepage. This works with any Android phone or iPhone.