Surprisingly, many online retailers are still failing to tap into the potential of mobile commerce. Around 80% of consumers use smartphones to shop and 61% have a better opinion of brands that offer a great mobile experience.
But a Constant Contact survey of 1,972 small business owners found that only 28% of respondents have incorporated mobile into their marketing strategies and only 13% were providing users with mobile-friendly experiences. So why aren’t more businesses optimized for the opportunity presented by mobile?
The Mobile Conundrum
From 2016 to 2017, the time spent per day on mobile has increased by seven minutes, whereas the time spent on desktops decreased by one minute. However, mobile spending and average order values are still lagging:
- 50% of traffic to websites today are from mobile, but 75% of sales are attributed to desktop.
- Desktop conversion rates are at 4.4%, still higher than mobile at 2.7%.
How can your business buck this trend? Here are some ways to increase your mobile traffic and how to convert more leads into sales.
1. Test Mobile Usability
A mobile-friendly site is crucial, not only for the user experience but also to improve your search engine rankings. If users have to resize their screen to view your content, they’ll leave your site before you have a chance to sell them anything.
Use Google’s free tool, the Google Search Console, to test your site category pages and more.
2. Keyword Optimization
You can also use Google Search Console to track which keywords are driving mobile users to your site. To attract more local customers, create more content with location-based keywords in it.
3. Avoid Interstitial Ads
In January, Google introduced the mobile interstitial ad penalty. Intrusive pop-up ads on your mobile pages can harm your search engine rankings. Avoid ads that block mobile visitors from seeing your content when they land on your page.
Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest still generate the most ecommerce traffic compared to other social platforms. Update your social profiles with keywords highlighting your products, services, and location while including a link to your website. Then use these channels to promote deals that link to your site.
5. Use Local Directories
Get listed on Google My Business, Yelp, Yellow Pages and Bing Places for Business. Remember to add your store hours, contact information and a link to your site. When shoppers search for your contact information on mobile, they should be able to see it as quickly as possible.
6. Try Geo-Targeted Ads
Geo-targeting is the practice of delivering different content to website users based on their location. When a prospect gets within a certain geographical range, they’ll begin to see your ads. Mobile’s inherent ability to track the location of the users you’re targeting means this is one area where desktops can’t compete.
Tips to Boost Mobile Conversion Rates
Increasing your mobile traffic is one thing, but you need to turn these visitors into customers. Use these tips to maximize sales:
7. Keep It Simple
Clear navigation makes it easier for visitors to locate relevant information. Use large buttons, include a search box and keep blocks of text short. Front-load your content with links to lead generation pages and use “Read More” links so you don’t overwhelm visitors.
8. Reduce Form Size
Only use fields in forms that are necessary. You could use progressive profiling, which allows you to replace form fields that have already been filled out by visitors on previous visits. The easier and quicker you can get mobile users to convert, the better.
9. Use Multiple Calls-to-Action
Content on mobile pages requires a lot more scrolling, so by including multiple CTAs throughout your content, you should be able to drive more clicks and increase conversions.
The fewer clicks mobile visitors have to perform on your site, the better. Click-to-call buttons mean users only have to click a button once to call your business.
11. Improve Product Descriptions
Product content plays an important role in SEO and purchase decisions. Provide detailed product descriptions but also try to emphasize the benefits to users first. Talk to people directly using the word “you” and only use high-quality product images to increase trust.
12. Provide Payment Choices
Mobile shoppers use a variety of payment methods when purchasing online and you need to be able to accept them. If you’re not giving customers different payment options, like various credit cards, PayPal and others, your users are more likely to abandon their carts.
13. Try Text Campaigns
Mobile devices also allow you to start text message campaigns. Try offering in-store discounts to customers who opt-in for text alerts from your business.
Are You Mobile Ready?
As mobile usage continues to rise, brands need to adopt a mobile mindset. It’s one of the best ways to improve online visibility now and remain competitive in the future.
Don’t let your competitors gain the mobile advantage. Be prepared to attract and convert mobile users to stay successful.