The mobile future is unfolding now and it’s coming to your company phones. Since what seems like forever, the mobile marketing revolution has been promised ‘this year’ again and again. However, there are plenty of indications that 2015 is the year that mobile marketing takes its rightful place in the discussion — meaning front and center. How mobile-friendly marketing affects your desktop phone is an important consideration for your marketing success.
Mobile is increasing its footprint, and in many ways imposing it, on the way Americans search for information. A recent Google report indicates that a full 65% of all searches start from a mobile device. And overall, a full 90% use multiple screens sequentially to accomplish their search objectives over time. That means that the people who find you online are most likely, at some point in their journey to you, using a mobile phone. It’s now imperative to create a seamless, cohesive customer journey, because when effective mobile access is part of the overall experience, all channels become more effective.
But creating the journey means telling the whole story, too. The interaction that will increase most from effective mobile is, perhaps unsurprisingly, phone calls. People are using their mobile phones to *gasp* make calls. Google stats say that 73% of mobile searches result in some form of an action such as a visit, a purchase or most likely, a phone call. And while mobile searches are becoming the prevalent starting point for searching, most searches started from mobile will convert offline, witnessed by the fact that 75% of customers who find info online using their mobile view a direct phone call as the best way to connect. 70% will make that call directly from the search page. (source)
In industries like Real Estate, Loan Origination, Home Improvement and the like, inbound calls are increasing because they are high consideration products and services. Tapping the phone to talk directly to a person is a logical step for potential clients. Search, Click, Call. But with this great opportuntiy comes great responsibility. Your inbound calls need to be handled by staff that are fully prepared to handle the calls in a manner that will continue the positive user experience, either by correctly directing the calls or effectively handling them upfront.
When your mobile marketing directly connects you with your potential clients, you have a higher chance to close, and it all starts with making your website mobile friendly. If searchers can’t find your mobile friendly content, they won’t be making that call.