Taking your website mobile: why it’s critical for small business marketing

What’s the first thing you did this morning?

Apart from open your eyes, you probably reached out and grabbed your smartphone to check the weather, news, emails, social media etc.

For many Australians this ritual is an essential way to start the day. And our reliance on smartphones doesn’t end there. We have them with us all the time and, most importantly, use them throughout the day.

According to Google’s Our Mobile Planet report*, Australia’s addiction to smartphones shows no sign of abating.  It says 65% of us now own a smartphone and most of us never leave home without it.

And key news for small business owners is how much Smartphones have transformed the way we shop.

Commercial property has always been about location, location, location but now it’s just as critical to make your business location easy to find online.

90% of smartphone users look for local information on their smartphones and 86% take action such as contacting the business or making a purchase.

That’s right: 90% of smartphone owners use their phone to find out about local businesses.

So whatever your marketing strategy (word-of-mouth, traditional advertising, social media), it makes a great deal of sense to ensure that your business is easy to find through mobile devices.

So how do you do this?

The first thing is to ensure your business appears on location-based services like Google Maps. Next, make sure your phone number is clickable so potential customers can search, discover and contact you in one easy and intuitive search. The key is to make it easy for customers to connect with your business.

But it doesn’t end there. The report states that “smartphones are critical shopping tools with 78% having researched a product or service on their device. Smartphone research influences buyer decisions and purchases across channels. 41% of Smartphone users have made a purchase on their phone”.

This means your website needs to be user-friendly when accessed via a smartphone. As Google says: “having a mobile optimised site is critical and a cross-channel strategy is needed to engage consumers across the multiple paths to purchase.”

So as you are checking your Twitter account for the last time before you switch off the light tonight, it’s worth sparing a moment to think about how visible your business is to other smartphone users.

*Our Mobile Planet: Australia. Understanding the Mobile Consumer. May 2013