Local Marketing on Mobiles

Most Brits and Irish have missed out on the e-commerce revolution. This is not surprising, because, according to the recent Google event, “Think Local,” which took place in London, 70% of local businesses do not have a website. The mobile marketing revolution is here, and it’s all about increasing online sales.

There are some key figures which every business owner should know:

1. 90% of people search online for something they are going to buy offline.
2. 70% of UK phone owners have a smartphone; it was 38% in 2011.
3. 1 out of 3 mobile searches are local searches and of these:

42% visit a local business website

36% phone a local business

Google says that there are 4 keys to “how you can take advantage of Mobile Marketing.”

1. BE FOUND:

   Make use of Google Place and Facebook. Set up your Facebook page and claim it. Also, do the same with your Google Places page. This makes your profile visible. This helps gain popularity. There are many listings you can claim for your business, but Google Places is the big one. It helps with expanding your online presence. Google Maps defines your location.

2. BE RELEVANT:

   Relevancy is always a key factor for any purpose. So, you should make use of “AdWords.” Google AdWords helps you determine only the relevant and accurate locations. It helps you target specific locations accordingly. You can create an AdWords campaign to target your local business. All marketers and customers use internet on their mobile devices, because mobiles are always on hand.

3. BE LOCAL:

   Always localize your copy and run location-specific ads. For example, you are an accountant, and you have your office in Wuse 2, Abuja. So do not just target those staying in Bwari; run two different campaigns, one targeting those living in Wuse 2 specifically and one targeting Bwari specifically. Don’t stop at just targeting by location. You should link the copy in your ads and the web pages to a specific location, too – like ads that would say, “Click here to see what’s new..,” “Our client’s voice..,” etc.

These ads will link to your website where your benefits and positive points are displayed. Feedback and testimonials should also be included. Remember there should always be a “call to action” on your website.

4. BE MOBILE:

   Make your website mobile responsive. It can be easily viewed on mobiles when people search for you. It’s easier to watch and interact on mobile devices.

You should be more active in the mobile revolution. The version should be so responsive that it gets automatically displayed on smartphones and other mobile devices. So, once you take the steps needed, your site will be easily accessible on smartphones. If your website is made on WordPress, then you just need to install a mobile theme.

There are some important points which are a must for Mobile Marketing:

5 Musts of Mobile Marketing for Small Local Businesses

1. TEXT MESSAGE MARKETING:

   Whichever mobile or smartphone a user has, text messages always give exposure to everyone, even if they’re busy on their phones 24x7.

The open rates for text messages are higher than with e-mail, because of their concise nature. If a person knows that it’s an ad or a marketing message, then he will open it, because he knows that it won’t be very time-consuming. You can go for discounts or free offers. Also you can add a video for your promotion. Text message marketing is budget-friendly and perfect for small businesses.

2. E-MAILS FOR MOBILE MARKETING:

   E-mailing is obviously popular on mobiles.

For e-mail, you should be mobile friendly i.e. you should have a single-column layout, your content should be precise, characters should be within limits, and calls-to-action should be user-friendly and easy.

3. FACEBOOK FOR MOBILE:

   A recent study says that 40% of Facebook revenue comes from mobile. You should have a Facebook page for your product branding. There are two modes: view in admin mode or view in public mode. The admin mode shows the whole page you created but make sure that users do not see. The public mode shows only half of your timeline on mobile. Always tag your photos with the location. Keep your updates short and precise. Facebook pages can also be used as a landing page for mobile PPC. Check out your page on Facebook Local Pages.

4. ADS ON FOURSQUARE OR YELP MOBILE APPS:-

   Claim your business on Foursquare and Yelp. These are 2 major user-oriented websites that can make or break your success. Embolden your customers to check in on Foursquare. You can invest in FourSquare specials, too. FourSquare ads are very beneficial.

5. MOBILE SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION:

   The site should always be mobile-friendly, which is a key factor for popularity today. Google has some guidelines for mobile-optimized websites which include the use of videos and pages not showing 404 errors. Always optimize your site for local SEO. Social media, loading speed, and optimized social share buttons are important, too.