The Mobile Game is On!
In 2012 the advertising world predicted that by the end of 2016 mobile internet traffic would exceed that of desktop. That transition happened in 2014. By 2015, the difference was tangible at every level. At CheckBox mobile ad traffic out-paced desktop at a rate of more than 2:1. That’s two-thirds of the traffic our clients received from the ads we placed, on their behalf, came from mobile devices (smartphones).
There is no doubt that mobile devices, combined with the implementation of 4G technology have made access by mobile phones easier and faster than ever before. While sales of smartphones has slowed (Gartner reported that sales growth of global sales of smartphones in the fourth quarter was a mere 9.7%). Obviously, two things have effected this: (1) already high penetration rates of smartphones; and (2) slowing of innovation in smartphone offerings. Like any new technology, as market penetration passes 50% of the available universe, the growth rates will inevitably slow. For advertisers, the slowing growth rates takes nothing
away for the significance both today and in the future of this tool for reaching customers.
According to Google, consumers look at their phones 177 times per day for an average of 1 minute 10 seconds per session. That’s nearly 3 and a half hours that consumers are spending on their phone each and every day. More than 90% of mobile users aren’t set on buying from a specific retailer when they go online. Further, Google has found that more than 51% of consumers have ended up selecting a new brand, which they have never worked with before.
The fact that more than half of consumers exhibit little or no brand loyalty is both a blessing and a curse for advertisers. To the good, it indicates that there is a huge opportunity for advertisers to capture new customers. To the bad, it warns that consumers are increasingly fickle and place little or no value on a brand’s relationship with them.
So how does a company succeed in such a fluid, volatile and seemingly chaotic environment? It is actually fairly simple:
1) Be present: make sure that you appear in the top three results on any related search. In order to play in the game yo u need to leverage tools like CheckBox’s Online Listing Management to ensure that Google, Yahoo!, and Bing see you as a credible and relevant business. You cannot win if you don’t get to play.
2) Be Relevant: with so many consumers willing to purchase from a new or different company, casting a wide net will not help you. Consumers want specialists not generalists. Focus on your key strengths, there are plenty of potential customers out there, but they are finicky and have lots of potential choices. Our article on “designing good ads” can help you with this challenge.
3) Be Sticky: make it easy for consumers to get the information they need to choose you. Don’t make them work for it. CheckBox has a number of tools to ensure success and the article later in this issue on the “Zero Moment of Truth” will help you understand the challenges and potential ways to win new customers.
4