Mobile Marketing – The Latest Mobile Shopping Behaviour and Device Usage Revealed!

The rapid adoption of mobile is not only changing the way we browse but also how we shop online. User behaviour is has changed and the way we search for information or services is via mobile devices.

Whether it be your smartphone, tablet or laptop we are now consuming our favourite content and shopping on the go! Let’s have a look at some of the stats:

Here are some of the Key Stats:

• 34% of users research products/services before buying big ticket items!
• 34% use Mobile device for price comparison!
• 31% Use mobile to research then buy online!
• 32% use mobile to research then buy in store!
• 73% are comfortable with buying on smartphone or tablet! 18 – 35yr olds
• 83% are comfortable with buying on smartphone or tablet! 34 – 54yr olds
• On average we own 2.4 Devices and
• We access content on the go via laptops 71% tablet 30% and smartphone 62% of time spent online.

Demand for Location Based Advertising

• 48% more likely to engage with ads that are relevant to their location!
• 56% are willing to share their location to receive more relevant content!
• 81% prefer free local content that is ad supported over paying for content without ads!

So as we can see mobile marketing and your business being mobile friendly is now extremely important so that the mobile user has a good experience while consuming our content. This does open up the communication because you can reach your customers anytime anyplace!

When users search and get good 1st time user experience results in buying from or dealing with local companies.

We would love to hear your thoughts and comment below how you access the web via mobile devices?

Pic courtesy of http://www.mobilemarketingwatch.com/infographic-how-the-millennial-generation-engages-with-mobile-devices-19072/

Mobile Commerce – Over 10M UK Consumers in 2010

In a recent survey held by Tealeaf it was found that there were over 10 million UK consumers that conducted a mobile transaction in 2010. This simply just re-enforces the fact that 2011 will be the year that mobile commerce really takes off.

Although there were so many actions performed online via mobile devices the majority of consumers still experienced problems which suggests that mobile usability needs to improve and quickly.

Lets have a look at some of the stats and actions performed via mobile devices:

• 63% have used their mobiles for shopping
• 37% to conduct financial transactions
• 34% for travel bookings
• 23% for insurance payments or purchases

Here is a list of the problems encountered:

• The most common issue was receiving error messages (34%)
• While 25% found apps or websites difficult to use
• 25% had problems logging in
• 20% said their credit card wouldn’t go through

Here is how consumers reacted to these problems:

• 29% would abandon the mobile transaction and try later on a computer
• 16% would become more likely to buy from a competitor
• 17% would email or log a complaint with customer service
• 13% would abandon the transaction at the app/site and try a competitor instead

Now after having a bad experience on a companies mobile site 66% of respondents said they would be less likely to buy from that company again. So in order to stop your business losing customers you better ensure that a consumers mobile experience is as good if not better than online.

Plus with the rapid growth of the mobile market which is already 5 times bigger than the PC based market, companies need to clearly improve their mobile strategies and websites.

You need to make sure make sure your mobile consumers have a positive user experience through good usability and customer support. For more information on mobile marketing text NETPUNCH to 60777 or call us on 01519321074 and we can discuss how to take your business mobile.

To read the full report click here

Online Marketing Services for Local Businesses

Online marketing is a necessary measure to take if you want your business to grow. While there are steps you can take yourself to market your website, products, or services online, there will eventually be a need to outsource these tasks to establishments offering online marketing services if one wishes to continue to grow.

While there are several establishments which offer these kinds of services, not all online marketing services are created equal. For a small business in particular, the cost of acquiring the services of an establishment or professional to handle its marketing needs may involve financial resources which it may consider as considerable. However, the cost of not growing because of no or ineffective marketing will prove to be more expensive in the long run.
The question therefore is not whether or not one should acquire the services of an Internet marketing professional or establishment but to find one which can give you the best value for your money and provide you with the results you need. Here are some things to consider when looking to outsource your online marketing needs.
If one professes to know something, he or she should be able to walk his or her talk. Thus when one professes to be an online marketing expert, he or she should at least have a website which applies all or most of the principles the professional or establishment professes to know. Moreover, a lot of online marketing has something to do with optimizing a website or page so that it is easily found by and ranked among the first links a search engine generates during a particular search. When a marketing establishment or professional’s link appears among the first links listed during a directory or search engine search, chances are, he or she knows his or her stuff.

We would love the chance to earn the right to your business simply contact us and

• We will give you a FREE marketing analysis which will tell you exactly how much traffic you are missing out on and a detailed breakdown of what you need to do to grow your business via online marketing.

12 Reasons Your Business Needs Local Mobile Marketing

Here are 12 reasons why your business needs a local + social + mobile marketing strategy.

1. 78% of Internet users conduct product research online.
That means your website stands a good chance of being a prospect’s “first impression.”

2. In the past year, Web-based email usage dropped a staggering 59% among 12-17 year olds, who prefer to communicate via text, instant messaging, and social networks.

3. 78% of business people use their mobile device to check email.

4. 40% of US smartphone owners compare prices on their mobile device while in-store, shopping for an item.

5. 200 Million Americans have registered on the FTC’s “Do Not Call” list.

6. 91% of email users have unsubscribed from a company email they previously opted-in to.

7. 84% of 25-34 year-olds have left a favorite website because of intrusive or irrelevant advertising.

8. 57% of businesses have acquired a customer through their company blog.

9. 67% of B2B companies and 41% of B2C companies have acquired a customer through Facebook.

10. The number of marketers who say Facebook is “critical” or “important” to their business has increased 83% in just 2 years.

11. Companies that blog get 55% more web traffic.

12. Inbound marketing costs 62% less per lead than traditional, outbound marketing.

If you need help coming up with a plan of action feel free to contact us and we can discuss your needs…

For the first time in history you as the business owner can reach your target market anytime and anyplace. Plus you can deliver your message in the format they wish to receive due to the various methods of communication available today…

To learn more about mobile marketing text ‘netpunch’ to 60777 and we will send you some simple strategies to help get you started.

To read more visit:

http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/11414/12-Mind-Blowing-Statistics-Every-Marketer-Should-Know.aspx

10 Reasons Why Your Business Needs Mobile Marketing

If you are looking to grow your business there is no quicker way than through mobile marketing and text messages. If your business has some quite days and you need a few more clients through the door just simply send out a text message and you could reach your target market in minutes which will then result in more traffic and sales for your business. Think about what you take with you when you leave the house you always have your keys, wallet and MOBILE phone. For the first time business owners can connect with their audience anytime, anyplace and instantly.

Here are 10 reasons why local businesses need mobile marketing:

• there are 5 billion mobile users which is 5 times bigger than the pc based internet market
• there are 300,000 Android phones sold every day!!!
• by 2012 10 Trillion text messages will be sent and delivered globally
• 4 out of 5 teens carry a wireless device
• Customer time spent on MOBILE is rising faster than time spent on any other media
• Text messaging gets 7 to 15 times the response rate of an email and has an astounding 97% open rate
• Plus the speed in which a text message is opened and read is also much faster than email occurring within the first few minutes
• Text messaging has a proven ROI of over 20% and has the power to double a local business
• There is no other form of media that even comes close to this
• Mobile Marketing  is the future and if you don’t start now you or your business will fall behind your competition

So as technology evolves are you going to embrace it or get left behind as your competitors tap into this huge opportunity, the time for your business to go mobile is now!!! To learn more about mobile marketing call us on 01519321074 to discuss how we can help take your business forward or…

• Text NETPUNCH to 60777 now to get latest news, tips and a special offer coupon

 

SMB’s Tips on Owning Your Local Web Presence

In today’s noisy online environment many small to medium sized business owners do not know where to allocate their time or budgets when it comes to marketing their business online. Here is a really helpful graphic which breaks down what it takes to create a successful local online presence for your business. A very important part is focus and your focus should be where you have the most control.

There are multiple elements that work together and help SMB’s own their local web presence. Plus all these elements need to be controlled due to the fact that the internet evolves at a rapid rate and business owners need to be aware and manipulate their strategies accordingly.

Have a look at the diagram below to get a better understanding of what it takes to own your businesses local web properties:

Pics courtesy of: http://www.blumenthals.com/index.php?web-equity-infographic

For more information on local internet marketing fill out the form and we can give you a detailed breakdown of how well your business is listed locally… Also please leave your comment below?

Using QR Codes To Boost Your Business

Firstly, a QR code stands for quick response code and they are expected achieve widespread use this year because consumers want instant access to relevant content and QR codes can be used to enable this.

Although QR codes are a relatively new phenomenon here in the UK they have been around and in use in Japan for over a decade already.

Now there are many uses for these QR codes such as:

• Sharing – You can create a QR code that can link to any piece of content like a URL, Video or special offer
• Building Community – You can create a code that gets people to LIKE your Facebook page or connect on LinkedIn
• Calls To Action – You can create multiple special offers and send consumers directly to each offer
• Going Mobile – a QR code can also be used to build subscribers on a mobile marketing list

Now you may be asking where can you use QR codes in your business? So here is a couple of places where you could add a QR code to help boost your business today:

• On your business cards
• On all your marketing materials, flyers, posters, menus etc.
• You can add to the sides of your van or trucks
• Place them in the windows of your business premises

Another place QR codes are already in use is in Google Places, when you have claimed your local listing you can create a special offer coupon and within your places account that coupon will create a QR code which will send consumers directly to that special offer.

Now this represents a huge opportunity for business owners and the potential is HUGE because QR codes are bringing people together through technology with a good user experience.

So with this in mind what ideas do you have to drive your business forward with QR codes in 2011? Please post your thoughts in the comments section below.

Local Search Marketing – Amazing Statistics

According to the latest study by comScore it is reported that there are 14 billion searches on Google in March and of those searches at least 20% were local. That means that there were a total of  3 billion LOCAL searches like ‘fitted kitchens in Liverpool’ or ‘doctors L1 5TF’.

Also did you know that only 15% of small to medium size businesses have actually claimed the Google Places Page (Local Business Listing) which get millions of views each and every day.

So if you are not actively marketing your business through local search optimization you are missing out on HUGE amounts of traffic and business every day. Plus by claiming your local listings you are also enabling your business to go MOBILE which is huge. How big you may be wondering?

Well consider this the mobile internet market is 3 times bigger than the regular internet based market!!! Also when users are searching on mobile devices the search results are based on the users current GPS, so if your business is not listed in the local search results they wont even know you exist.

Here’s some interesting stats which show the importance of local search:

• 97% of Internet users gather shopping information online
• 51% explicitly characterize their behavior as “Shop Online, Purchase Offline”
• 73% of activity online is “related to local content”
• 70% of online searchers will use local search to find offline businesses.
• 43% of search engine users are seeking a local merchant to buy something offline.
• The Kelsey Group reports that 74 percent of Internet users perform local searches.
• There were over 1 billion users in the UK on Mobile Devices in 2010

So if you are not incorporating LOCAL and MOBILE marketing strategies for your business you are leaving a lot of  traffic and money on the table for your competitors to cash in on.

For more information on local marketing feel free to fill out the form and we can help get your business listed ASAP…

Why Your Business Needs Internet and Mobile Marketing

If has been found in a recent study by BCG that businesses who have adopted and implemented online marketing strategies have been growing at four times the rate than similar businesses who have yet to embrace the power of internet marketing!!! Now there is a definite digital divide opening up between companies who are getting it and active online and those who are not. The UK is the top economy in the world for e-commerce and if your business does not embrace the future and start marketing online you could very well get left behind in 2011.

Another factor that you need to consider is creating a mobile marketing strategy that is aligned with your online marketing strategy which will then allow you to reach your target market anytime and anyplace. It has been said that 2011 is going to be the year of the mobile but there has already been huge growth in consumers performing commercially relevant actions on mobile phones lets have a look at some of the stats mentioned:

• eBay performed 1 transaction per second in 2010 via it’s mobile app
• eBay also sell 3-4 Ferrari’s per month on mobile phones
• 1 billion people already access the mobile internet
• Google is generating mobile revenues at a billion-dollar run rate

So with this in mind the sooner you get your business online and actively start promoting your products and services the better. If you do not jump on the bandwagon now your competitors will and your business will forever after be playing catch up plus you will have missed out on a HUGE number of new prospects and customers.

To read more make sure you go and watch the video here to hear what Matt Britton Google’s managing director of UK and Ireland has got say about the growth of both internet and mobile marketing in 2011.

Google SEO

Google SEO – There Are No No Short-Cuts

Businesses in Liverpool (and around the UK for that matter) often ask us about Google SEO (optimising your website to rank on the front page of Google). Many seem to think there is some magic formula or special code that clever it gurus can apply to their websites which would get them listed at the top of search engines like Google. Many believe promises from unethical operators that they can get their website listed on page one of Google within weeks or days.

 

 

Google SEO Is Doing Some Common Sense Things Correctly

The fact of the matter is that there is no magic formula or secret codes that get inserted into your web site to get in ranking. First and foremost your web site needs to be optimised for what is best for your visitors. They are your consumers and your content should reflect that.

If your web site is built according to the correct HTML specifications, has easy to follow navigation, and is unique and has content that your potential clients will be seeking, you are well on the way to having the type of website that Google loves. This is far more important for ranking factors than doing tweaks, “black hat  SEO” and other similar tricks to snare the search engine spiders.

When creating a page give some thought to the TITLE and DESCRIPTION of the content.

Again, this comes back to creating useful content for the user. Your title must be unique as well as accurate. For the description, try to sum up the page content concisely, using phrases that appear in the page content.

Make sure that your page title and description is clearly indicated within the proper HTML tags in the <head> tag of the HTML document. Ensure that you name each page distinctly and accurately, whilst at the same time using important keyword phrases that clearly identify the page content. These tags makes guide the the spiders and this is what will appear in the search engine results. Most often, the description will also be shown below the title. The description tells both google and your potential clients in summary, what your page is all about.

Site Structure

Another important point to consider is the STRUCTURE of your web site. Keep those urls simple. Ensure the filenames are as descriptive as possible, using no more than three to four words. The easier it is for a human being to navigate to all the important pages, the easier it will be for googlebot to crawl and index your pages.

Do not use “deep” directory structures such as: ../this/that/and/theother/page.html – rather keep to singular directory groupings, i.e. ../dir/page.html. Use text for navigation purposes in most cases. If the website design has an image based, flash based or JavaScript based menu structure, create an additional text based navigation structure where possible.

Web Site Content

The content of each page should provide unique and appropriate content to the page title and headings. Do not employ “keyword stuffing” techniques. By this I mean using a sought after keyword multiple times, in multiple paragraphs. By all means, make use of the keyword phrase you are targeting, but use it in a “natural” manner.

If you have named the file correctly, used a keyword rich phrase in the title and description, simply using the phrase in the first and last paragraphs will make that page relevant for the phrase in googlebot’s eyes.

The Importance Of Using  Sensible Anchor Text

What the h%!&^ is anchor text? Anchor text is a link that is clickable, which makes it easy for your visitors to find your other pages (obviously Google loves text links as well!). A text link to another page on your site is also a vote for that site using the text used in the anchor text. i.e. If you have a link on your page which is clickable, and it reads BLUE WIDGETS, your user (and Google) will rightly assume that the page is about blue widgets.

The steps outlined may seem like really simple navigation, but it is of paramount importance to Google! That is how it gathers it’s data about BLUE WIDGETS.

Make use of a regular HTML, text based sitemap. For maximum “spiderability” it is also a good idea to generate an XML sitemap, specifically for googlebot’s ease of use. This makes it far more simple for Google to discover and index all of your pages.

Resources

Information regarding XML sitemap creation

End of part one.

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