6 tips for your small business to succeed on mobile
By Hibu |
Small businesses can win big with mobile marketing
You’ve already seen how you can “mobile”-ize your business for big results. If you’re still not sure about whether your business can have success with mobile marketing, or you’re trying but not seeing the success you want, here are six tips to help you get noticed with mobile marketing and win new customers.
Tip No. 1: Set your goals
Before you launch any new effort, you want to make sure you know what you’re trying to accomplish and how you’ll judge whether or not you succeed. The goal can be as simple as “gain ten new customers through mobile marketing.” From there, you can work backward to determine what steps need to be taken to achieve the goal.
Tip No. 2: Launch a mobile-friendly version of your website
If you browse the Internet on your phone like most people do, you understand that some websites look great on a phone and are easy to navigate…and others are just itty bitty versions of their desktop sites (in other words, they’re difficult to read on smaller phone screens). It’s critical for you to make sure your website is mobile friendly, so you make a good impression on potential customers.
On top of this, being mobile friendly will help your customers find you when they’re searching online. In 2015, Google shifted its search algorithm to rank “mobile friendly” sites higher than non-mobile friendly sites. Facebook has made similar moves to disadvantage ad campaigns that point to non-mobile friendly sites. It’s in your business’s best interest to make sure your website is simple and easy to navigate on mobile devices.
Tip No. 3: Get listed on mobile directories
Mobile directories often pop up at the top of online searches when people – i.e., your customers – go looking for answers to their questions. Directories such as Yellowbook.com will list your business and serve as validation for potential customers. They’re also a great entry point for potential customers to find your website and learn more about you. Mobile directory listings will often include the name of your business, the service you provide, your business hours, your phone number, your physical address and a link to your site.
Tip No. 4: Tune your advertising to mobile
All major forms of online advertising – Search, Display and Social Media – span both mobile and desktop audiences. (If you’re not investing in all 3 of these, and you want to maximize your business’s exposure, you should be!) You don’t want to give up on traditional desktop and laptop users completely in favor of mobile – after all, people do still use those a lot. But you do want to make sure that your ad campaigns have a strong mobile element to them. That means things like tweaking the mobile bid adjustment in your Google AdWords campaign, and making sure your Facebook campaign is running in the News Feed where it gets in front of mobile users.
Tip No. 5: Add a personal touch
One of the things that make any local business stand out from the big companies is local knowledge and personality. So don’t focus so much on the technology of digital marketing that you lose your personality. Remember to demonstrate local knowledge and enthusiasm for the community. By sending a message that you’re in the community and have an understanding of local residents, you’ll begin to build a connection with your target customers.
Tip No. 6: Have a savvy partner
One thing is certain: marketing changes quickly. It’s wise to have a digital marketing partner to help you stay up to date on new developments so you aren’t stuck with a marketing strategy that stopped working two years ago (or more). A smart partner will keep you updated on the latest developments in the world of marketing, and help you decide which ones make sense for your business… and which ones don’t. If you want to have success in mobile specifically, choose a partner with experience in mobile across the 4 biggest areas in online marketing:
- Websites
- Search marketing
- Display advertising
- Social media (e.g. Facebook) advertising
Don’t miss the impact mobile can have on your small business
The world of mobile marketing can seem daunting for someone who doesn’t live it day in and day out. But it doesn’t have to be difficult, and the rewards can be great. Many small businesses that have jumped into mobile marketing have seen a tremendous positive effect on their bottom line.
Small companies win business over major brand names every day simply by being smart – and being there – when it comes to digital marketing. These companies have discovered that mobile marketing really can work for every small business.
This post was originally published on Local Search Association’s Marketing Bitz blog as 6 Tips to Help Your Small Business Succeed on Mobile.
