Rebecca Levinson at Propecta recently interviewed our VP of Product, Bill Bonnefil, on how companies are adapting to mobile users.  Check out the interview here.

From Pocket to Purchase

Chances are, you’re reading this from a touch screen right now. Are you: on the way to work, relaxing at home, or just putting off your to-do list? You are not alone. As much as 75% of global consumers communicate through their phones as well.

    • Do your marketing efforts take devices into account?
    • Are your website landing pages easy to navigate from little touch screens?

Of course, You may be well aware that many of your customers use a smartphone to purchase your products or order services. If so, then why haven’t you come along with the times?

Keeping It Simple, Keeps Them Coming Back

A complicated sign-up and checkout is a surefire way to lead your would-be audience straight out the door. Secure, one-click checkouts will ensure your loyal customers stay with you. While conversion rates go up, new clients will recommend you to their friends.

Spreadshirt

Spreadshirt is a customized business product company. The company recently realized its website had not adapted well to the small screen. However, as the company reformatted its site with the needed changes, sales improved. Successful optimization also prepares the company for a global audience. Guido Laures, CTO of Spreadshirt, suggests building in security features like a content security policy. Besides, his site integrates external scripts as an added layer of protection. The process, in his own words, has become ”fast, simple, and safe for shoppers to use.”

Runbook

Likewise, in a non-traditional e-commerce site, simplicity still rules. Runbook is a company that assists in financial closings. Firstly, they had incorrectly surmised that clients would be communicating via a stationary keyboard. This erroneous thinking came from old practices in the economic field. Herman Heller, the co-founder of Runbook, realized one day how difficult his website was to navigate. Hence, his unsuccessful attempt to make a transaction from his phone compelled him to reassess his mobile marketing agenda.

He says, ”Everybody hates typing in a web address, landing on a page, and having to scroll down. Enlarging a screen to enable reading it, it turns simple tasks into struggles. Viewers who have to deal with that won’t become customers. To be sure, the only takeaway they’ll have from your website is how frustrating it was. Of course, any marketing message is lost entirely. Certainly, a mobile-friendly website is necessary.”

Get App-y

Ask yourself: What mobile tools are my customers already using? How do I want my customers to engage with my brand? Then, bring those answers together. An app increases functionality way beyond even the most responsive website. Dealstruck developed a mobile app to address specific loan needs for their clients. The app allows Dealstruck to send alerts, notifications, and reminders. Additionally, customers have instant access to the tools they need to manage their accounts.
An app puts your brand right on the buyer’s mobile “desktop.” Your logo will be kept front and center. This provides easy access to your content and support team. Some brands are taking it a step farther. They innovate creative ways to use existing apps and social channels to increase their general functionality.

Most importantly, the idea is to create options that work for your specific audience. As always, be aware of your customers’ habits and design your sites to work around them.

Where Are They Now?

Never discount the many ways people love using their smartphones. They can be the same reasons your mobile marketing plan gets the most beneficial makeover. Location services are one example. Advanced GPS technology is already built into smartphones. As a result, it delivers a context of information you won’t get from any other device. Use it to your advantage, and your customers will have a more personalized experience. Kevin Alansky is the co-founder of SocialRadar, a media analytics company. Additionally, he says culled information from location technology brings insider knowledge about their consumer demographic. His team uses this information in its email campaigns and B2B programs regularly.

Of course, you may need a few tweaks and changes with attention to your audience’s lifestyle and habits. But, once you do, your new strategy will engage your loyal customers and attract new ones. From every avenue of the world marketplace, from finance to t-shirts, companies are adapting to the small screen. Don’t get left in the dust! Keep everything exactly where it needs to be: “right in your pocket.”

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