Your website isn’t meant to be just pretty. It’s not designed to be a work of art.
The only reason to put a website up online is to bring in business for your company. The better it does that, the more successful it becomes.
And business is no longer confined to desktop displays. Unlike marketing methods even just a few years ago, if you aren’t focused on mobile marketing, you’re missing out on customers.
The number of smartphones is expected to surpass the 5 billion mark this year. That means virtually all of your customer potential is now connected by a tiny device held in their hands. And there is a difference in how you present your data to them. Old traditional websites no longer work.
To ensure your business is mobile ready, what should you be doing?
Check everything for mobile friendliness
Everything you create – websites, landing pages, emails, apps – all applications should work seamlessly across all devices. They should look the same and operate correctly on desktop, laptop, smartphones, and tablets. If you don’t know how your marketing techniques look on each device, you’re already at risk.
The reason each application should be built separately is Google’s doing. Google’s entire business structure is built around user experience. They want everything to give the end user the best experience possible. They know you don’t search on a smartphone the same way you do when sitting at your desk. So their goal is to give you what you want. And that means different designs for different situations.
If you’re ready to start attracting customers in every way possible online, then your best place to start is with design. Ensure everything you create for your business – ads, landing pages, web pages, and email – are designed with the end user in mind.
Video Ads
Once you have revamped your online structure, it’s time to start adding today’s technology to the mix. You’re about to see a lot more video than ever before. Why? Because it’s easier to watch a quick video than it is to read a long article. Especially on a small handheld device.
Of course, there are rules for engagement. You can’t add a two hour video and expect people to watch. But there is room to play depending on your industry. If you have something that can hold attention, several minutes might work. If you want to make a quick point, just a few seconds may do the trick.
And you might have to think beyond both visual and audio. As much as 85 percent of video viewed on Facebookhappens silently. People rarely turn the sound on. Instead, they watch the action, read the captions. They want to gain information through those two actions only. And if yours doesn’t deliver … next.
Need a further push for including video in your advertising? One forecast expects video marketing to grow by as much as 19 percent by 2021. If you’re not creating content the way your prospects and customers want to view it, your competition will.
Voice Activated Search
Hey Siri. How many people now search for things by asking instead of typing?
With the popularity and growth of digital personal assistants, voice activated search will continue to rise. You don’t need an Amazon Echo or Google Home to take part in this trend. Your smartphone or tablet will work just as well.
It’s expected that by 2020, 50 percent of all searches will be voice activated instead of with type. That means big changes are coming to the way Google ranks search engine results.
If you’ve ever performed a search using both methods, think for a moment how they’re different.
When you sit at your desk, you might type:
Best Italian Restaurant Portland
This would provide a handful of results based on geographic area – you could see the results pop up on a map. Then click and review again and again until you make a choice.
But if you ask a digital personal assistant, your search tactics will change.
What’s the best Italian restaurant in the Portland area that’s family friendly?
Because you talk instead of type, you’re more likely to ask it as a question. You might even change the details more depending on your situation. Notice the family friendly addition?
With a voice answer, you’ll only get one response. Not a screen filled with multiple choices. And that impacts the race to who gets that coveted position. If you don’t have a plan to change your content to match voice activated search, you’re already missing the boat.
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Messenger and In App Ads
As more people use smartphones and rely on apps, messenger and in-app ads will increase right along with it. Marketers follow trends, so this process is a natural progression. According to Statista, over 2 billion mobile phone users are currently accessing messaging apps to communicate, and that number will grow by a half-billion more over the next two years.
Ever used WhatsApp? Your kids have. It’s the most downloaded app currently for Android users, currently being used by over 450 million people daily on both Android and iOS. Facebook Messenger is also used daily by well over a billion people.
With this many people using these apps, it’s only natural that ad space will continue to increase over time. Why not begin experimenting with it sooner rather than later?
Perfecting Your Current Marketing
Reading about trends can sometimes make you feel like you’re a step behind. But in today’s online marketplace, there’s room for everybody.
How are you reaching out to your target audience right now? What tools are you using? What resources are your favorites? What forms of advertising work best for you?
Do you prefer Facebook ads? Or how about pay-per-click on Google? Or maybe geofencing is your favorite strategy?
Not sure?
Then now is the time to start. We can help you target your perfect client in the way they like to be marketed to. We can help you put together a plan that will make the online world work well for your business.
Let’s talk today. And create an online marketing strategy that will give you big wins the rest of the year.
