Mobile usage has been steadily increasing for the past few years, as many of us expected. Installed internet devices such as smartphones, tablets, wearables, virtual assistants, and smart TVs are becoming integrated into our lives and even necessary for our daily activities.
As we observe this migration toward mobile devices being the primary tool we reach for when seeking information, business owners need to consider making mobile a priority in order to adjust to their users’ behavior.
Companies such as Google, Facebook, and Apple have noticed this shift to mobile, and to stay leaders in the mobile market, they’ve made changes. Google responded to this shift last year by introducing a new mobile-friendly ranking algorithm to promote mobile-friendly pages and RankBrain to improve search result processing.
A New Way to Find Information
The sole volume of mobile usage isn’t the only reason we’re experiencing so many changes in Google’s algorithm and other companies’ inbound marketing techniques. We’re also seeing changes in how users interact with their devices.
Google reported that Google Voice Searches doubled from 2014 to 2015, revealing that we’re interacting with our smartphones with a more conversational approach. RankBrain was integrated into the algorithm to provide more relevant search results as we ask our devices questions. This machine learning artificial intelligence system can identify a word or phrase that it has never seen before and produce results from words or phrases with similar meanings.
App Usage Is Taking Over
As we use our mobile devices more and more, the growth of apps continues to rise and is far greater than desktop and mobile browser growth. According to a comScore mobile app report, a staggering 44% of digital media time involves app usage, which is a prime opportunity for companies to reach their customers in a new way.
Although this segment is creating new ways to reach customers, companies and marketers are finding it difficult to encourage ongoing engagement. Google reported that only a quarter of installed apps are used daily and another quarter are left completely unused.
Overcoming these stats is a colossal hurdle for companies to keep their users coming back. To combat these numbers, Google has integrated another interesting feature called app indexing and has indexed 5 billion apps already. App indexing allows the search results to include content that formerly was constricted to just the app. This allows users to find new apps through the search results or re-engage with an installed app. Thankfully for companies and marketers, these search results can drive re-engagement and encourage ongoing engagement.
As we seek out information in new ways, it’s important for businesses to adjust their digital marketing techniques accordingly. Your potential customers are speaking to their phones to find information, so create natural content that speaks directly to your customers.
When developing new pages or revamping your website, mobile should be your first priority. Devise a mobile plan for a new or existing page first and then create a desktop version. If it makes sense for your business and target market, create an app. Within that app, create exciting and buzzworthy content that will entice your customers to use the app regularly.
Stream’s Kick-Start Step
When was the last time you looked at your website on your mobile device? Seeing things from your prospects’ perspective will help you get a better idea of what their online experience is like. If you’re not happy with what you see, it’s time to implement a digital marketing strategy that focuses on a mobile website experience.
Your users are reaching for their mobile devices more and more, so why shouldn’t you? If you’re interested in learning more about what inbound marketing can do for your business, download our Inbound Marketing 101 eBook below or contact us for a free consultation. We look forward to hearing from you!
