Small business owners who still believe that their target customers are sitting at their computers searching Google for their websites are living in a fantasy world. Today, more Internet searches are done on mobile devices than computers. And many of those searches are not done on Google or other search engines at all. Today 80% of time spent on mobile devices takes place within apps – and much of that on the Facebook App.
Because Facebook understands the importance of Mobile, as well as the popularity of its platform (their blog states that over 1 billion people visit business Pages every month) they have been steadily adding features to improve the quality of the mobile experience in order to help businesses on Facebook.
“Call To Action” Update
Their most recent updates, announced on September 8, include more prominent “Call to Action” buttons. On mobile devices, these buttons are now displayed directly under the Page cover photo.
This feature updates the “call-to-action” feature that was announced earlier in the year. Page admins can choose from several calls to action messages, including: Shop Now, Sign up, Book Now, Contact us, Play Game, Use App or Watch Video.
These buttons can take viewers to the website or another landing page in order to further interact with the company. For example, one of our clients, a plumber,” has a “Book Now” Call to action that takes viewers to an appointment scheduler.
Facebook promises to add other messages to the call to action feature, including “Call Now,” “Send Message” or “Contact us.”
Sections for Pages a la Navigation Strips
The section update allows businesses a way to add new sections to pages. This gives businesses the opportunity to feature the information that is most relevant to their organization. For example, a “Services” tab can open a list of services with short descriptions, helping viewers better understand what a business does. Facebook promises to expand this feature to encompass even more sections in the future.
Facebook wants people to have a better experience on mobile devices, and are updating the Page layout so that information is easier to find without a lot of scrolling or clicking.
Businesses Must Update Their Pages
Obviously, none of the new features will work unless businesses update their Pages. For those companies that have already taken advantage of the call-to-action feature, the buttons will move automatically. However, the new sections will have to be developed.
Facebook is encouraging businesses to update their Pages to take full advantage of these new features by adding a call-to-action button and new sections.
As more people use their mobile devices, business owners must rethink their marketing strategies in order to accommodate the buying behaviors of their target customers.