How to Make Use of the Huge Mobile Marketing
Shirley Yuan
December 01, 2010
These days, people are using their cell phones for a lot more than just talking. According to Juniper Research, there will be almost 1.5 billion cell phone users searching for local businesses – known as location-based local search – on their devices, adding up to $12.7 billion in revenue by 2014. That´s a whole lot of people looking for stuff on their phones while on the move – and then paying for it when they find it!
Mobile devices have gotten better and better.
It is true that a big part of this increasing trend has to do with how much better mobile devices have gotten in the last few years. Screens are larger and have better resolution, making the online mobile experience much more user-friendly. Better coverage and faster downloads make local searches much more practical than in recent years. And last but not least: Many devices are now GPS-enabled, which means that consumers can use their phones to find out how far they are from your business at all times as well as get directions to you on a map in real time.
In addition, recent findings have shown that smart phones thought to be used almost exclusively in business settings are being used socially as well. According to data based on Bango traffic, the busiest times for BlackBerry web usage are outside of regular work hours. Much of this has to do with the increased availability of Wi-Fi, which boosts download speeds and coverage.
Mobile marketing can be used for companies of any size.
Mobile marketing is huge, and it is certainly right for any business owner, whether his or her business is big or small. But it´s important to understand how you can grab yourself a slice of that gigantic pie. First, you should ask yourself if you should be eating pie to begin with! Mobile advertising can be very effective, because mobile consumers often have immediate intent, which means that they´re on the move and looking for some need to be satisfied right away, whether it is watching a movie or picking up a bouquet of flowers. That sales trigger is just waiting to be pulled.
In order for mobile advertising to be effective, however, it has to make sense for the business. For instance, a hungry consumer that is enjoying a Saturday afternoon with friends might just search for restaurants in the area for dinner. If you´re a restaurateur, then it makes sense to optimize your restaurant´s website for local searches and make it cell phone friendly.
On the other hand, the same cannot be said for every industry. For example, mobile advertising doesn´t usually make much sense for a dentist, because prospective patients are rarely strolling around contemplating a root canal. While appointments are the standard practice in this case, dentists should still consider making their websites mobile friendly to ensure easy loading on cell phones, and also maintain current business information in online directories that are heavily used in mobile searching.
Yodle is a leading provider of local online advertising that provides businesses with a simple and affordable way to get more phone calls - and new customers. Follow Yodle on Twitter today! Check out Yodle Blog and you will read more about online advertising and social media advertising.
Mobile devices have gotten better and better.
It is true that a big part of this increasing trend has to do with how much better mobile devices have gotten in the last few years. Screens are larger and have better resolution, making the online mobile experience much more user-friendly. Better coverage and faster downloads make local searches much more practical than in recent years. And last but not least: Many devices are now GPS-enabled, which means that consumers can use their phones to find out how far they are from your business at all times as well as get directions to you on a map in real time.
In addition, recent findings have shown that smart phones thought to be used almost exclusively in business settings are being used socially as well. According to data based on Bango traffic, the busiest times for BlackBerry web usage are outside of regular work hours. Much of this has to do with the increased availability of Wi-Fi, which boosts download speeds and coverage.
Mobile marketing can be used for companies of any size.
Mobile marketing is huge, and it is certainly right for any business owner, whether his or her business is big or small. But it´s important to understand how you can grab yourself a slice of that gigantic pie. First, you should ask yourself if you should be eating pie to begin with! Mobile advertising can be very effective, because mobile consumers often have immediate intent, which means that they´re on the move and looking for some need to be satisfied right away, whether it is watching a movie or picking up a bouquet of flowers. That sales trigger is just waiting to be pulled.
In order for mobile advertising to be effective, however, it has to make sense for the business. For instance, a hungry consumer that is enjoying a Saturday afternoon with friends might just search for restaurants in the area for dinner. If you´re a restaurateur, then it makes sense to optimize your restaurant´s website for local searches and make it cell phone friendly.
On the other hand, the same cannot be said for every industry. For example, mobile advertising doesn´t usually make much sense for a dentist, because prospective patients are rarely strolling around contemplating a root canal. While appointments are the standard practice in this case, dentists should still consider making their websites mobile friendly to ensure easy loading on cell phones, and also maintain current business information in online directories that are heavily used in mobile searching.
Yodle is a leading provider of local online advertising that provides businesses with a simple and affordable way to get more phone calls - and new customers. Follow Yodle on Twitter today! Check out Yodle Blog and you will read more about online advertising and social media advertising.
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