At the end of 2012, we made a set of predictions about what 2013 may hold for the future of ecommerce.
One of our predictions was that mobile commerce would rise in popularity. According to Smart Insights, 15% of global internet traffic is from visitors accessing websites on their mobile phones. This number has doubled in the last 12 months, and Smart Insights predict that mobile internet usage will ‘overtake fixed internet access by 2014’. Having a site optimised for mobiles provides an excellent opportunity to reach your customers and clients. Here’s why you need mobile optimisation in your website design and marketing plan, and how you can make the most of it!
1. Offer an excellent user experience
Your brand must deliver a seamless experience, and your customers must have the same easy to use, friendly service whether in-store, online or online on their mobile.
Users expect a responsive site; a site which will adapt and work to their screen size. Being mobile means creating an excellent user experience for your customers wherever they are, and so your site needs to be designed to respond primarily to the following question: How will people use your site on their mobile?
Mobile websites require thinking differently as you are working with a smaller screen size and bigger buttons; elements which can be used to offer precedence to key actions, such as a phone number or button to purchase to ensure that an action or a sale can be completed.
2. Reach new dimensions through mobile
The first mobile phones enabled users to call up and connect with the stored mobile numbers of friends and family only. Mobile phones today allow users to connect with the whole world at the touch of a button. Apps and mobile browsing now give you the opportunity to connect with people and brands from all over the world through social media, as well as watch videos, play games and shop.
Mobile shopping
For many, mobile is the starting place for modern day shopping, whether or not the purchase is completed on the device. The customer may look up the item they want on their mobile when on the go, and complete the purchase later on a computer or in-store. Therefore it is important to entwine the in-store and mobile shopping experience by ensuring that your site enables customers to compare prices, find discount vouchers and use geolocation to find your store.
User Generated Content
According to Lightspeed Research, 73% of smartphone owners use social media apps on a daily basis, whilst International Data Corporation report that smartphone users access Facebook 14 times a day on average. Social media is the easiest place for you to place and generate mobile-optimised content about your products, whether it is written by you or reviews by your consumers.
Connect your site to your social media feed so that customers can easily share items from your site to their social media feeds, promoting your products/service to all of their followers. Engage with your customers and give a bit back by sharing their posts to create that all important brand buzz.
If you could do with some help with optimising your site for mobile or undertaking a bit of mobile marketing, give us a shout today.
