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Is Your Site Mobile Friendly? Google Can Tell You
Jan 25th
According to one statistic, half of all local searches are performed on a mobile device. With more people accessing websites using their smartphones, making sure you website is readable on a phone is not something you can ignore. Load times, readability and images often render differently on a smaller screen. If a website is less functional when viewed on a phone versus a regular PC or laptop, many mobile users will simply leave a site.
Now Google wants to help make sure your website is mobile friendly. Its GoMo site, launched last November, lets you test the functionality of your website on a mobile device. The site uses a tool called GoMoMeter, created by Mullen Advertising, and powered by Keynote Systems‘ MITE product, which allows users to see what their websites would look like on a mobile device. It also provides tips for improving mobile readiness of your site, as well as resources for building the mobile version of your website.
Why Being Mobile Friendly Matters
According to Google, 60% of users expect a mobile site to load in three seconds or less. More than half of users wouldn’t recommend a business with a bad mobile site. So even if you don’t think you need a mobile version of your site, you could, in fact, be losing customers without one.
According to Nisheeth Mohan of Keynote systems, mobile users will be spending even more time browsing the mobile Web in 2012. ”Consumers are beginning to expect a desktop experience with their mobile devices,” he said, “With increased spending for mobile advertisements and marketing as well as the use of mobile for commerce, businesses must be mobile ready to leverage mobile to reach existing and new customers. Optimized mobile websites will be critical components in driving revenue moving forward.”
How the GOMO Meter Works
You go to the site, enter your URL, and the GoMoMeter will display what your site looks like on a mobile device. Answer a few questions about readability and whether you could click the links with a thumb, and you’re taken to a page that gives you your page’s loading speed, info on images displaying correctly and text size. You’re given the option to download a free customized report with suggestions for improving your site’s mobile functionality.
Here are a few general tips from Google for making sure your site functions well on a mobile phone:
- Keep loading times fast
- Simplify navigation
- Be “thumb friendly”
- Design for visibility
To test your site’s mobile friendliness, visit GoMo.
Is Your Site Mobile Friendly? Google Can Tell You
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
Constant Contact Moves into Mobile with Acquisition of CardStar
Jan 19th
Today, online marketing tool provider Constant Contact announced its acquisition of mobile loyalty application CardStar. CardStar is the mobile version of the loyalty cards we all carry around in our wallets…only condensed into a single app.
CardStar, which is available as an application for Android, iPhone, Nokia, BlackBerry and Windows phones, currently has more than 2 million users. Consumers can keep track of multiple membership and rewards cards, such as what you would scan at a CVS or Best Buy. Merchants can send geotargeted offers to customers, as well as track consumer behavior with the application, according to CardStar’s site.
As to why Constant Contact decided to get into the mobile loyalty space, CEO Gail Goodman said:
“We have had our eye on two tech trends: mobile and loyalty. What we found with CardStar is the convergence of these two.”
Will We See an Increase in Small Business Loyalty Programs?
In the past, loyalty programs have been most popular with big-box retailers. Small businesses haven’t jumped in to the same degree, maybe due to the fact that loyalty programs have been, in Goodman’s words, too “administratively cumbersome.” Most small businesses don’t have the bandwidth to manage the analytics and track coupon redemption of their individual loyalty programs.
According to Goodman, to date “nobody has brought to market a simple, powerful solution” to small business loyalty programs. With CardStar, Constant Contact aims to make loyalty programs more within reach of small businesses.
Constant Contact’s Strategy
Constant Contact’s announcement today mentioned this as being a milestone in its “evolution from an email marketing company to the leading provider of online marketing tools that help small businesses create and grow customer relationships.” Over the past couple of years, the company has acquired NutshellMail, Bantam Live, and Social CRM, all of which have added to its shift away from solely email-based services. Moving into mobile marketing fits further broadens its offerings.
As small businesses tie in their social media, email and mobile marketing strategies together, we’re seeing more companies offering more all-inclusive services. Constant Contact seems to be following the same strategy. ”We think small businesses shouldn’t rely on any one channel as a way to stay connected to customers. They need to use every tool available,”said Goodman.
Goodman says that Constant Contact has focused on helping small businesses create and grow their customer relationships, and that CardStar is another tool to help them do so.
CardStar is available as a free mobile download for consumers. Constant Contact will eventually wrap up CardStar into its offerings to clients through its site.
Constant Contact Moves into Mobile with Acquisition of CardStar
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
Jamie Turner of 60 Second Marketer: Mobile Marketing Maestro
Jan 13th
If you haven’t jumped onto the mobile marketing bandwagon yet, you’re going to want to hitch a ride – and soon. Mobile is the wave of the future and it’s no secret that everyone’s attached to their mobile devices these days. Everywhere you go, you continually see endless amounts of consumers completely engrossed in them. You don’t want to miss out on the opportunities this presents for you and your business. With the convenience mobile devices afford their users, they aren’t going anywhere but into the future. Join us as Jamie Turner of The 60 Second Marketer explores the mobile world in this interview with Brent Leary.
Small Business Trends: Why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Jamie Turner: Sure. I am probably best known as the guy who runs The 60 Second Marketer which is an online magazine for business around the globe. I go on CNN and HLN occasionally and talk about digital marketing – anything from mobile to social.
Small Business Trends: There are so many things going on around smart phones and tablet devices. What is mobile marketing today?
Jamie Turner: In a nut shell, mobile marketing is anytime a corporation or an entity decides to use a mobile device to connect with customers. So that may be a real estate agent who wants to go out and use a QR code to promote themselves, or promote a property that they are doing. All the way up to a huge mega corporation like Coca Cola that is going to use a mobile app in order to grab people’s attention and get them engaged with a brand.
Small Business Trends: Just how prevalent is mobile marketing today?
Jamie Turner: You know if you do a Google search and look at the trends for people doing searches on mobile marketing it is growing exponentially. That said, there is still a little bit of hesitancy for the average business person. With mobile they get a bit intimidated because they think it is more complex and harder to use. But the reality is, it is just as easy to use as social media. Once you have learned those fundamentals, it gets easier and easier.
Small Business Trends: What about location based services? How has that changed things?
Jamie Turner: One of the coolest examples I have come across is how Chili’s went out and said, “Anytime anybody checks into a Chili’s, they get free cheese dip.” But what was so cool is that they said, “Hey, anytime anybody checks into any company within a 200 yard radius of Chili’s, they also get the same offer.” It was a great way for Chili’s to broaden their net as they went out and grabbed people from nearby locations and said, “Come on into Chili’s and get free cheese dip.”
Small Business Trends: Maybe you can briefly talk about how you go about layering the foundation?
Jamie Turner: With the “Go Mobile” book (co-written by HubSpot VP of Marketing Jeanne Hopkins), we said, “Let’s start with fundamentals of marketing. What is it that people are really buying when they buy your product?” A restaurant is a great example. On the surface they are buying food, but when you dig deeper people are buying a lot more than just food when they go to a restaurant. They are buying an escape from the ordinary. They are buying the ability to communicate and connect with other people. They are buying the ability to not have to do the dishes when they get home. So when you start with those foundational elements of marketing, that’s when people are buying your product or your services.
They are buying something more than what you think they are buying. You can build on top of that foundation a mobile media house that really stands solidly on some fundamentals of marketing.
Small Business Trends: Now in the book you have outlined a number of really interesting case studies. Some great information. One that I have to admit caught my attention is the Domino’s Pizza delivery app. Mainly because I have used it. Maybe you can tell us a little bit about why that is such a great example of effective mobile marketing.
Jamie Turner: This app is amazingly easy to use. Domino’s has used the mobile app to capture an audience and keep them hooked because once you have used that app, your reluctance to download a different app from a different pizza company is a lot higher than your reluctance to use a Domino’s app again. So it is really a terrific tool for Domino’s to capture an audience and keep them captured.
Small Business Trends: Can you give me your impression of what Near Field Communication (NFC) could potentially do for mobile marketing?
Jamie Turner: NFC is a way for electronic devices to communicate with each other. Bluetooth can communicate from about 10 meters away while NFC devices have to be about 10 centimeters away from what it is communicating to.
It makes it perfect for people in the future. Let me give a description of the future. You’re going to have your Android device or your iPhone; you’re going to have Google Wallet on your Android device. So what is going to happen is you will load money into your Google Wallet at maybe $100 bucks at a time or $50 bucks at a time and it will hold that money in that account for you. When you go to buy a product at Target or any other company, you will open up that app, wave your phone in front of a little device at the cash register and it will go ahead and deduct that amount of money from your Google Wallet. So it makes buying products a lot easier and a lot simpler.
Small Business Trends: In the meantime, what should people be doing now in order to take advantage of mobile marketing opportunities?
Jamie Turner: There are four things. 1.) Build a mobile website. 2.) Register a business with location based services. 3.) Run a QR code campaign 4.) Do a paid search campaign. Those are the first four things I would suggest for any small, mid-size or even large business.
Small Business Trends: Where can people get the book and where can they learn more about the other things that you talk about?
Jamie Turner: Go Mobile is available everywhere.
This interview is part of our One on One series of conversations with some of the most thought-provoking entrepreneurs, authors and experts in business today. This interview has been edited for publication. To hear audio of the full interview, click the right arrow on the gray player below. You can also see more interviews in our interview series.
Jamie Turner of 60 Second Marketer: Mobile Marketing Maestro
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
Localadsmedia.com: Mobile Web Sites And Marketing
Jan 3rd
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Localadsmedia.com: Mobile Web Sites And Marketing
4 Rookie Mobile Marketing Mistakes to Avoid
Dec 22nd
Mobile marketing. Sure, everyone’s talking about it. They’re busy talking about SoLoMo and how small business owners need to use mobile to target customers on the move. But with the rush to get in on this hot new medium, sometimes we let our excitement get the better of us and we don’t take time to plan our campaigns quite as well as we could. And then we make dumb mistakes.
Below are four rookie mobile marketing mistakes to avoid. We made them first so you don’t have to.
1. Using Mobile to Share Non-Mobile Content
You’ve read all about how to use text messages and quick response (QR) codes to target customers while they’re out in the wild or even just sitting on their couch at home. And that’s great–until you use these techniques to send users to content that is anything but mobile friendly. Perhaps it’s a video their phone can’t download or the desktop version of your website, which takes too long to load and far too much scrolling to use on their device. These types of mistakes leave customers feeling frustrated and almost ensure they never again try to load your website from a mobile device. They’re also a waste of time and resources on your part if you’re creating campaigns that don’t work, let alone convert.
If you’re going to use text message marketing to offer a discount or present a call to action for someone to visit your site, make sure the page you’re sending them to is mobile friendly. Ensure it will load on their device and present them with the proper experience. Otherwise, you’re just spinning your wheels and their data plan.
2. Using QR Codes to Direct Customers Back to Your Site
For many of us, when we think “mobile marketing” we really think “QR codes.” A QR code is that barcode-like symbol that a user can scan with their smartphone to be taken to a page of your choosing. QR codes are great for sending users to mobile-friendly landing pages, informing them about specials and promotions, or providing an exclusive experience via their phone. When QR codes don’t work is when you use them to direct people back to your home page. Or, worse, when you try to put them in an email. (How do you scan a barcode while using your phone for email?)
If you’re going to invest in creating a QR code, don’t simply use the code to drive people back to your website. They could have gotten there on their own. Instead, pack that code with something valuable and unique. It could be an exclusive discount or special offer, time-sensitive information, an image they couldn’t get otherwise, a free download, etc. There has to be a “why” to make the experience worthwhile. Otherwise, you’re going to have a frustrated customer when they take the time to scan your QR code only to be given the same experience they receive every day.
3. Missing a Chance for Better Targeting
You can bet that not all of your customers are going to feel comfortable giving you access to their phone and opting into a mobile marketing campaign. And you know what? That’s OK, because it means you’ll be able to target your marketing to the type of user who is OK with a more personal interaction. To really leverage mobile marketing, find out more about the demographics of the people who do opt into this service and adapt your campaigns to specifically address them. This may including knowing what kind of offers they’re most interested in, the products they buy most, the price point they stay within, the types of deals they respond to, etc. If you don’t know offhand (and why would you?), your analytics will be able to give you this information.
As with anything, if you want customers to do something, you need to give them a reason. People will be more likely to sign up if you send them special discounts and offers that have been hand-crafted for them.
4. Not Optimizing Your Mobile Website
The mobile version of your website should be more than just a shrunken version of what your site looks like on a desktop computer. It should be optimized for a different experience and for a customer coming to you a different intent. We know that desktop users and users pulling you up via a mobile phone are coming for different purposes. They’re not just browsing on their phone; they’re on the hunt for specific information or content. For best performance, use your analytics to understand what your mobile users are after, the pages they request most often, and the mission they land on your site with. This will help you to optimize an experience that is relevant to their needs and that helps them achieve their goals faster. Give your mobile searchers what they want and very little noise.
Above are four very common mistakes SMBs (and even large brands!) make when entering the mobile landscape. But you don’t have to make them. Understand the intent of a mobile searcher, know the tools available to you, and then use them to create a unique experience.
4 Rookie Mobile Marketing Mistakes to Avoid
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
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Dec 7th
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Dec 7th
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Build Your Own Mobile App With Appsbar
Nov 3rd
Everyone talks about how important it is to build an iPhone or Android app, but it doesn’t look inexpensive or easy. Until now. I’ve been testing appsbar, a free Web-based app that allows small business owners create their own iOS or Android application.
I found appsbar.com when researching the digital coupon phenomenon (think Groupon and Living Social) and discovered a post by appsbar founder Scott Hirsch, who built the tool, in part, as a do-it-yourself coupon service. From the merchant point of view, the pricing of coupons is expensive. Most business owners considering coupons could benefit from a tool that lets you build it yourself and keep the profit margins higher.
Even if you’re not building a coupon offer, appsbar is impressive. The tool walks you through everything from the icon that will represent your app in the Apple store or Google Android Marketplace, depending on which market you’re targeting, to the functionality on every page. After you pick the basic properties of your app, you go through design (colors, layout, etc.) and then add content.
You can add a variety of content on one or more pages just like you would on a website. As you click through the options, you can see in this image below that you have lots of choices for what type of content and functionality you want to put on a page. The choices include events, forms, menu or list of items, video or photo gallery, contact page, a link page, and a promotional coupon page (there are more, but you get the idea).
What I really like:
- Appsbar reviews all your work and then submits it to the appropriate marketplace for you.
- I can see the app as it develops in the mockup image on the right side of the screen.
- It essentially lets you create a mobile website at the same time you create an app that people can interact with.
What I would like to see:
- A little more clarity that they are going to submit your app…
I didn’t realize that after I created the app and clicked “publish” that the service would review it and submit it to Apple or Google. While it may have told me that once, I just wasn’t ready to commit to that step. It appears to save it anyway, but it left me in a tiny panic that a less-than-ready app might get submitted. Thankfully, the service reviews the app and won’t submit it if it appears incomplete. But a few more warnings or cautions or “heads up” flags would be appreciated. If your app meets all the requirements, you can expect it will be published in 14 to 21 business days according to the followup email you receive when you hit the submit button.
With the growing Amazon Android Marketplace, I’m eager to see appsbar expand and submit apps to that major service.
If you’ve wanted to create a simple mobile phone or smartphone application, appsbar offers a very easy way to do it at a price point that everyone can afford. Free. Plus, they keep it simple and pain-free. If you’ve had a great experience developing an iPhone or Android application, please let me know in the comments.
Learn more about appsbar.
Build Your Own Mobile App With Appsbar
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
Mobile Marketing Exposed from Simon Hodgkinson & Jeremy Gislason
Sep 22nd
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Mobile Marketing Exposed from Simon Hodgkinson & Jeremy Gislason
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Sep 7th
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