29 Facts and Strategies on Mobile Search That Will Significantly Change the Way You Market

These days, no marketing plan is complete without a mobile strategy.

It’s quickly becoming the go-to method for searches, so much so that even Google has announced its plan for mobile-first indexing.

So how do you prepare your strategy to stay on top of the mobile trend?

You look at the statistics, of course.

1. By 2019, mobile advertising is expected to represent 72% of all U.S. digital ad spending.

Clearly, mobile’s where the money is. As more and more marketers recognize the growing trend in mobile, they’re continuously putting more of their budget into mobile ads. But, should you choose to invest in mobile advertising, proceed with caution.

2. 70% of people report disliking mobile ads. (HubSpot)

Turns out, mobile ads may not get you many fans, no matter how much money you pour into them. So how do you advertise on mobile without alienating your fans? You focus on simple, quality ads.

3. In a HubSpot survey, 68% of pollers responded that they were “fine with seeing ads as long as they’re not annoying.”

For marketers, that means ad strategies like pop-ups, instant videos, or multimedia ads may not be best used on mobile. Focus instead on a simple text ad that clearly delivers your message without disrupting the user’s experience.   Social media’s a great place to start, which brings me to my next point

4. Nearly 80% of social media time is spent on mobile. (MarketingLand)

Your audience is already there, making it an ideal place to drop an ad. Boosted posts, in particular, appear as regular posts in news feeds, helping to decrease the annoyance factor.

5. Users spend on average 69% of their media time on smartphones. (comScore)

If your goal is to reach customers through digital marketing, a mobile strategy can’t be ignored. As evidenced above, people are spending more time on mobile than desktops and laptops. For the best chances of marketing success, you need to be there as well.

6. 80% of internet users own a Smartphone. (SmartInsights)

Because a Smartphone can do virtually anything an actual computer can, it’s becoming an increasingly popular way to get news and browse search engines. And with the popularity of apps and chatbots, I can say pretty confidently that that trend isn’t changing anytime soon. That’s good news – for companies with a mobile strategy, at least.

7. Improved customer service was the primary reason for small businesses to build an app in 2016. (Clutch)

Here’s where a mobile strategy really shines: customer service. People love real-time service and the personal touch it can bring to a business. And while real-time customer service has long been a strategy staple when it comes to social media, the easy access of apps and chatbots while on-the-go has made a service strategy more crucial than ever.

8. Capitalize on Micro-Moments in Mobile Search

What are mobile devices most useful for? Quick, spur-of-the-moment questions and instantaneous answers. Google’s coined these micro-moments, “when people reflexively turn to a device—increasingly a smartphone—to act on a need to learn something, do something, discover something, watch something, or buy something.” Take these stats, for example:

9. Of Smartphone Users, 91% Look up Information on Their Smartphones While in the Middle of a Task. (Google)

10. And, 82% Consult Their Phones While They’re Standing in a Store Deciding Which Product to Buy. One in 10 of Those End up Buying a Different Product Than They had Planned. (Google)

So what do these stats tell us? That these micro-moments matter. They have the ability to inform customers’ decisions, and even change their minds. Brands who have a clear strategy for handling these micro-moments – by anticipating customer questions and supplying them with quality answers – will be the ones set up for success.

11. Enable Push Notifications for Better Engagement on Mobile Search

These can be beneficial for a number of reasons. They can help direct users to your social media pages, promote products or special offers, and engage users even when they’re not on your site or app. But do people respond well to push notifications?

12. Yes – 52% of Smartphone Users Have Push Enabled on Their Devices. (Localytics)

With push notifications, strategy is key. Why? Because users can easily be turned off by too many notifications, or ones that appear too pushy. Remember to personalize your messages and really understand and segment your audience, so only the appropriate messages go to the right people.

13. Google drives 96% of mobile search traffic, followed by Yahoo at 2% and Bing at 1%. (NetMarketShare)

Much like desktop searches, Google dominates the scene when it comes to mobile searches. Which means that your website and content need to be optimized for mobile, and you need a strategy for adopting mobile SEO. Especially if you want to be found on Google.

14. In 2015, Google Announced Mobile-Friendliness is an Official Ranking Factor (Google)

And again in 2016, Google announced a new update that would make mobile-friendliness would affect rankings ever more. So if you haven’t yet optimized for mobile, you can expect your rank to suffer for it.

15. 55% of Consumers Have Clicked on a Mobile Ad on Their Mobile Device, And …

16. 53% of Consumers Who Clicked on the Ad Ended up Making a Purchase.

In case you needed another reason to take mobile advertising seriously.

17. 88% of Searchers Use Their Smartphone for Local Searches.

Local businesses should have a vested interest in mobile searches and optimization. Finding ways to target local users, like incorporating geo-targeted ads and location filters, will prove successful in local strategies. The best part? Local searches often lead to action.

18. A poll by Google Revealed That Half of Consumers Who Conducted Local Mobile Search Via Smartphones Visited a Store Within a Day. (Google)

So if your goal is to improve foot traffic and sales, mobile’s the way to go.

19. A Mention of a Location or City Name in a Mobile Ad Can Improve Click Through Rates by 200%. (MediaPost)

Clearly, mobile’s also an effective to send more traffic to your website. Remember to prominently display all location and contact information in all your marketing materials to further appeal to local mobile searchers.

20. A “List of Products” is the Most Important Mobile Website Feature of Local Businesses, With “Opening Hours” and “Price List” Following Closely After. (Statista)

Consider the above your website musts if you run a local business.

21. Over 50% of Smartphone Users Grab Their Smartphone Immediately After Waking Up. (ExpressPigeon)

Mobile users aren’t wasting any time. Keep this statistic in mind when timing your messaging; send emails or notifications early to reach users.

22. According to Google, 61% of Users are Unlikely to Return to a Mobile Site They Had Trouble Accessing and 40% Visit a Competitor’s Site Instead. (MicKinsey & Company)

In case there was any question about how important a mobile friendly website is, not only will users turn away from your site, they’ll turn to a competitor’s instead.

23. 57% of Users Report They Won’t Recommend a Business With a Poorly-Designed Mobile Site. (socPub)

When designing a mobile-friendly site, keep the following in mind:

• Don’t make a separate site for mobile, adapt your desktop site instead
• Use a responsive design
• Use big fonts and buttons for easy use
• Make sure all images are high-resolution

24. 8 in 10 Email Users Will Likely Access Their Email Accounts Exclusively From Their Mobile Devices By 2018 (Email Monday)

When it comes to mobile optimization, the work doesn’t stop with your website. All of your content needs to be optimized, including email. Like your site, you’ll want to use a responsive design and keep it clean and simple. Make it easy for people to read on a mobile device by breaking up text into multiple paragraphs, and try including easy-to-click buttons over links.

25. Mobile Email Opens Have Grown by 180% in the Last Three Years. (Email Monday)

This is where intriguing subject lines and personalized messaging come into play – and clearly producing positive change.

26. 48% Start Mobile Research From Search Engines – (Smart Insights)

Another reason your mobile SEO needs to be up to speed.

27. The Average Pageload Speed on Mobile Sites is 22 Seconds. (Think With Google)

This is a pretty surprising statistic, especially considering…

28. 53% of Mobile Pages are Abandoned if They Take Longer Than 3 Seconds to Load. (DoubleClick)

When it comes to mobile search, speed is your friend. Not only is load speed a big part of technical SEO, but it’s a big part of the user experience. Think about it. We already know that people use mobile search on-the-go, for instant answers. If they aren’t getting those answers quickly, they’ll go elsewhere. The good news here is that if you manage to get your page loading quickly, you’ll be well ahead of the average.

29. 69% of Consumers Worldwide Between the Ages of 18 and 39 Use Mobile Devices to Research Products Before They Buy. (aumcore)

Two core factors in a successful marketing strategy: demographics and intent. For you, that means paying special attention to optimizing product and service pages on your site. Include all relevant details, keywords and product information, and include relevant extensions in your ad campaigns.

Start Your Mobile Search Strategy Today

There you have it. The numbers don’t lie, and mobile isn’t going anywhere. Use the statistics and strategies to get your mobile plan off the ground today.