In recent years, we’ve often approached mobile as a secondary, “lesser,” version of the internet. The mobile web was smaller. It lacked the features available on the “real” web. It was slower and generally considered inferior.
As I shared in a recent blog post, that way of thinking is (or should be) behind us. The mobile web is no longer a second-tier experience. In fact, in many cases, it’s the desktop browser’s superior. Even the idea of a “mobile browser” will soon become antiquated. (Since this past summer, users spend “five times as much time on mobile apps as they do on mobile internet browsers.”)
If You Sell A Product or Service, This Matters.
You might be wondering why you should care about the adoption of mobile and the shift from browsers to apps. Well, if you sell something–anything–whether online or in a brick-and-mortar store, this matters. If for no other reason, it matters because people are using their mobile devices to discover you… vet you… compare you… and maybe even buy something.
A new study by the researchers at ThinkWithGoogle investigates how shoppers are interacting with brands through their smartphones in a variety of micro-moments, which include I-want-to-know, I-want-to-buy, and I-want-to-buy-again moments. We’ve covered the highlights below.
- Three-fourths of Target’s in-store shoppers begin their shopping journey on mobile. Your brand is likely no exception. When consumers know what they want, it’s easier to start the process on mobile–even if they have to walk into a store to make the actual purchase.
- “Google searches with ‘near me’ have grown 2.4X year-over-year.” Half of the customers who complete such a search will visit a store within a day.
- “Ads that show local inventory drive shoppers into stores.” Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, which purchased Local Inventory Ads, saw an $8 return on every $1 invested.
- “Eighty-two percent of shoppers say they consult their phones on purchases they’re about to make in a store.” This is just one reason why ratings and reviews are so important.
- “Customers who shop both online and off with a specific retailer buy 250% more on average.” Omni-channel customers are extremely valuable.
Are You Prepared for Mobile Shoppers?
Have questions about what it means to optimize your in-store experience for shoppers who rely on their mobile device? Leave a comment below, and let’s start the conversation!\