
“Mobilegeddon” is Fast Approaching. Are You Ready?

There is no denying the dramatic increase in mobile Internet users over the last couple of years.One needs only to go out in public and look around to see all the people captivated by the content on the small screen of their smartphone or tablet.
Many Internet-based companies, including Google, have said that by 2015, most individuals on the planet will own a mobile device, particularly a smartphone.
In fact, just this week, Google CEO Eric Schmidt proclaimed his prediction for 2014 and beyond, stating: “Everyone is going to have a smartphone. The trend has been mobile was winning; it’s now won,” Schmidt went on to note the trend towards more tablets and phones being sold than PCs.
That equates to nearly 6 billion users – a very large and enticing market of online shoppers and consumers. Having only a desktop-anchored website is no longer enough for a businesses to compete in today’s mobile society.
It is becoming clear at this point that having a mobile web presence is a necessity for any business in today’s digital age. With the huge potential of consumer reach with the mobile Internet phenomenon, establishing a strong and reliable mobile web presence is now an imperative undertaking for any company or small business.
Not all traditional websites are well-configured for mobile platforms, and this can lead to a poor user experience. In a recent study, 57% of the worldís Internet users say they would not recommend a site that has a bad mobile web presence while another 40% say they will seek another service after a bad mobile Internet experience.
A mobile website is specifically designed to provide excellent user experience on a mobile device such as smartphone or tablet. Since screens are smaller in phones and tablets, the structure, design, and schematics of mobile websites differ greatly from traditional websites. Less text, more buttons, larger fonts, and features like maps and click-to-call graphics are the major attributes of a mobile website design.
The current trend towards mobile web presence opens up a whole other platform for businesses to reach and connect with their target market. To ensure the best user experience, there are a few guidelines to follow when creating your mobile web presence.
There are several web design elements that combine to make a mobile website design successful. These include ease of access and navigation, fast loading speed time, redirects that lead to the mobile version of the page, and readable content.
More than just the actual look and feel of the mobile website, your company’s mobile web presence also hinges on the success of SEO (search engine optimization.) Thus, building a successful mobile web presence can benefit a company’s overall SEO efforts as more individuals use smartphones to search the web.
Because many smartphone users search Google and other search engines for immediate and local solutions, having a mobile-friendly website is particularly important for local SEO. In a competitive local marketplace, a mobile website can give your company an edge with SEO and other Internet marketing initiatives.
As the rate of mobile Internet users continues to rise, it will become increasingly important for businesses to form a strong mobile web presence to keep up with the times. Because this new influx of mobile Internet users are able to access the Internet anytime and anywhere, it is crucial that your company’s mobile website is designed to meet their needs and exceed expectations.
Mobile technology has infiltrated modern life to the point of normalcy. This means that more and more people are now accessing the Internet via their smartphones and tablets. This recent development has contributed to a shift in the way companies reach out to consumers and promote their products and services.
Each new year presents its own challenges for companies looking to get ahead in the search engine optimization market. As advertising providers increase costs, customers become more savvy and social media continues to rise, a business must ensure that it is prepared for the coming of the new Search Engine Marketing year.
Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter – the list is almost endless, but many social media websites are gaining in popularity and advertising power with each passing day. Recent studies have shown that most consumers will come in contact with Facebook advertising in some form during their buying process, even if the Facebook link is not the last one they click on.
Estimates put cost per click for Pay Per Click advertising increases at anywhere from 12-15% in the coming year, driving the amount a business must pay for advertising upward. At the same time, consumers, burned by the recent recession, have begun to use the Web as a tool for searching, rather than buying. Multiple searches are conducted for products and reviews analyzed, and companies need to be prepared to deal with this new reality.
Despite coming late to the party, the Bing search engine has seen steady growth over the last year and is predicted to continue this upward trend into 2011.
The marketplace has been crowing for years about the supposed age of mobile e-commerce, but very little aside from Web browsing has happened in the last half decade. Now, with Google working on a credit-card replacing phone and with start-up companies on track to make e-commerce viable, 2011 may just be the year of the mobile money-maker.
1) Diversify search engine marketing strategies. Businesses need to use Facebook campaigns, viral marketing, and make sure that all of their advertising eggs are not in one basket.
2) Optimize effectiveness. Companies need to have SEO that is viable, straightforward and that generates targeted traffic in order to convert searches to sales.
3) Invest in Bing marketing. Google is still the big fish in this ocean, but Bing cannot be ignored by savvy companies. A good SEO Company should advise that Bing marketing dollars be increased.
4) Do not ignore mobile. This might not be the year it goes big, but waiting an extra 12 months could mean significant lost sales. Start testing the waters using the Google AdWords platform and see what comes up.
2011 will continue the trend of increased SEO diversity and it’s important for your company to understand on how to capitalize on these growing search engine marketing trends in the new year!
With the holidays fast approaching and the rise of such pre-holiday events such as Cyber Monday, companies are advised to tweak their online marketing strategies. According to statistics gathered after 2009’s Cyber Monday sale, peak buying times saw over 7 million visits to sites per minute. With the proper advertising and marketing, these visits can translate into big sales numbers.
There are a number of simple holiday marketing strategies that can be employed by any business to increase both targeted traffic and ecommerce sales during the holiday season.
As soon as Halloween was over, retail stores have Christmas trees up and Carols playing on the loudspeakers. While an online business may not need to jump so early, adding holiday web design touches to a website can show consumers that the site is up to date and has specials for the holidays.
Along that same line, make sure to use those expectations for specials to showcase best-selling items and ones that are actually in stock. Whatever is getting sold should be around to ship out.
Start early with Pay Per Click strategy by designing PPC ads with holiday marketing wording and special deals. Keep track of which PPC ad performs the best and use variations on it for the rest of the holiday season.
Google AdWords does a great job of retargeting, which is the science of showing people who has stopped by a website but not bought anything from the ads for that same website when they surf somewhere else. This IP-based technology involves dropping a cookie into the user’s Web browser, and can be a very worthwhile investment for holiday marketing campaigns.
With the right holiday marketing strategy, online retailers can significantly increase both traffic and sales on their website. For up-to-date insights, check out more holiday marketing strategies.