Targeting Mobile Shoppers Increases Consumer Reach

Black Friday is the busiest shopping day of the year. People head to the mall at 4 am and camp outside of the store waiting to get inside and snag the best deals. More and more consumers have been turning to the internet to get these same deals from the comfort of their own home. Ecommerce sales are up this year over last as Black Friday shoppers spent 40% more online this year than last year. This is a huge increase and has encouraged retailers to increase their paid search campaigns. According to a report from Kenshoo retailers spent 21% more on their paid search campaigns than they did on Black Friday 2012, contributing to the massive rise in sales.

Mobile Marketing Plays Increasingly Important Role in How Consumers Shop

According to Kenshoo retailers heavily focused on mobile marketing this holiday weekend and 79.1% more on smartphone paid search ads and 113.6% more on ads for tablets. With Google’s AdWords tools, it is easy to select who will see your ad – a desktop user or mobile user. Marketers are focusing more on mobile marketing because the results are clear – people are shopping from their mobile devices. One of the reasons the results are so impactful is because consumers have been shown to be more likely to make a purchase decision quickly when looking up things on a mobile device. On a mobile device people are looking for information on the go and ready to act quickly.

Comparison Shopping

Many retailers are using mobile marketing to try and grab customers away from their competitors. For example, people that are shopping for televisions may use their smartphone to see if they are getting a good deal or can save more elsewhere. Retailers are specifically targeting these people with mobile paid search ads that display discounts and special offers.

Organic Search on Mobile Devices

Businesses cannot forget the importance of organic search. While paid search is essential for mobile marketing strategy, it is equally important to improve your SEO for organic search. Consumers have been proven to be more likely to click on the site when it pulls up on both the paid search spot and organically. One way to accomplish this is to make sure that your business is listed in the directories. For example,you should be listed on Google maps. This is often one of the first things that come up in a search result and an excellent way to specifically target smartphone users. Google Maps is one of the most popular apps of all time and is used by millions of people every day. By being listed in their directory, you can show up when someone types in your category of business in a Google Maps search on their phone or tablet.

This holiday season and into 2014, it is important to not neglect your mobile marketing campaign. Continue to focus on improving your SEO, paid placement management, and engaging consumers through relevant content and social media. More consumers are shopping online than ever before so efforts now will pay off in the long run.