Your Business, In the Palm of Their Hand - Mobile Ad Localization

In 2011, there was a shift in the market. The year 2011 marked the first time more smartphones than PCs were sold. According to the market research firm Canalys, Vendors shipped close to 489 million smartphones in 2011, compared to 415 million PCs. Smartphone shipments increased by 63% over the previous year, compared to 15% growth in PC shipments.

When you consider numbers like that, the mobile landscape simply cannot be ignored. Marketers and Advertisers are working vigorously to develop and or find advertising methods that will successfully target and attract potential customers via their mobile devices.

Smartphone ownership directly translates into mobile internet usage. Smartphone users are always connected and have the web at their fingertips. In fact, people searching with mobile devices act more quickly than PC users. Studies have shown that mobile users are usually farther along in the buying cycle and are ready to take action. This kind of demand for "on the go" information creates endless opportunity for businesses. 

What are some actions you can take to make sure you are attracting this mobile audience?

1. Optimize your site for mobile browser compatibility. There are many tools available that will allow you to either create a mobile site from scratch or convert your current site into a mobile friendly version. There are plenty of web development companies that can assist with this as well. Be sure to contact someone for help.
2. Be sure your local business listings are up to date, accurate, and visible to searchers. This could be quite a daunting task if you have multiple locations. A local listings management program may be worth looking in to.
3. Run paid ads on search engines that target mobile devices. Pay per click ads are a great way to generate new traffic to your site. The increase in traffic can also contribute to improving your site's overall organic relevance.
4. Mobile Display ads are great way to build awareness and even supply incremental lift to your monthly website traffic. Make sure that you are tracking any and all activity resulting from these ads. The information you collect will help show value and assist in refining target parameters as well as target audience.
5. Run promotions exclusively for mobile visitors. This is a great way to generate short term traffic and create awareness.
6. Put in place some sort of customer loyalty program that includes mobile text alerts.
7. Using Social Media, promote your mobile website or apps and create awareness. Also, encourage people to share this information with their friends. You could even provide some sort of incentive to really encourage this action.

Don't miss out on this growth opportunity. Learn what works best for your business and implement strategies that will generate growth.