Surfing the web with a mobile device isn’t just limited to kids and tech geeks. Now, virtually every demographics uses an iPhone, Android, or tablet device to search, shop, and discover information online. If you’re a small business that still thinks mobile marketing and Mobile Application isn’t for you, then consider the following:

• 20% of all web traffic is from mobile devices. So every 1 out of 5 visitors to your site is using a mobile device.
• Black Friday sales made on mobile devices increased by 9.8 percent in 2011. More and more mobile device users are using their smart phones and tablets to shop online.
• 53% of mobile searches on Bing were local. This means that people are looking for what’s nearby on their mobile devices. Incredible news if you are a local business.

So what can a small business do to take advantage of this upward trend in mobile traffic? The opportunities for customer growth are nearly endless.

Here are four ways you can benefit from these potential mobile customers,

Design a Mobile-Friendly Site

The first and most obvious step is having a mobile-friendly version of your site. After all, if your customers can’t view your site with their mobile devices, then all the mobile marketing in the world won’t help you. Start by viewing your site with a mobile device yourself and pretend you are a potential customer. Is it easy to find the information you are looking for? Is the text easy to read? Can you click on the links easily without zooming out? If your website is built with a content management system, you can use a plugin like WPTouch to automatically render your site with a mobile theme. Such plugins usually eliminate images to cut down on load times and make information more readily available to the viewer.

Enable Mobile Shopping on Your Site

Mobile shopping is surging as more mobile users are using their devices to quickly compare prices among competitors online. Often, this leads to impulse purchases – but only if your site has mobile shopping enabled. Make sure that your potential customers can easily select, purchase, and complete transactions on your site with a mobile device.

Improve Mobile SEO

With so many potential customers searching by location to find your site, you need to pay more attention to your site’s search engine optimization. Use major keywords in your titles and content and don’t forget the appropriate tags. For your internal links, utilize keyword-rich anchors that use the names of nearby cities and suburbs as well. Location-based keywords will help you stay competitive among other local businesses.

Mobile Messages

Have you ever received an annoying text regarding some special offer from a business? It’s true, while texting your customers can be infuriating to them, that’s only when it’s done poorly. Text-based messaging can actually be a welcome way to tell your customers about a special deal, give them coupons, or announce a new product or service. In fact, some consumers report they prefer text message reminders when they are regarding something they care about. Just make sure you offer mobile notifications as an option for customers and do not force it upon them. Also, use a reputable service provider so you follow regulations and honor opt-out properties. Services like CallFire, FanMinder, and Trumpia can help you here. You’ll find mobile messaging to be extremely useful when done right. It typically costs less than other traditional methods, and text messages are opened and read by far more recipients than any other medium, like email. Consider using mobile trivia or alerts for upcoming promotions new products to maximize your messaging campaign.

By implementing more mobility into your marketing campaign, you can benefit from a creative and cost-effective way to reach new potential customers and retain existing ones. The rewards for endeavoring in mobile marketing should provide a positive return on investment, even if your business is small.

Call 484-892-5713 or Contact Us today to learn more about ways through small businesses can take advantage of Mobile marketing.