If you’re still not sure that mobile marketing is right for your small business, take a look at these results from several recent studies on small business mobile marketing to see why if you don’t already have a mobile marketing strategy in play, you’re significantly behind the times. Consider these findings and comments from top marketing surveys and sources:
- Over 93% of small-medium sized business websites do not properly render (appear) on mobile devices – including iPhones, Android phones or tablets.
- Of the small businesses surveyed that implemented mobile marketing, 84% reported an increase due to the initiative.
- 64% of small businesses plan on increasing their mobile marketing budget – this means your competition may be more effectively using mobile marketing than you are.
David Brown, CEO of one of the firms that accumulated this data, Web.com, recently said, “With more and more consumers specifically searching for local businesses on their mobile devices, it is imperative that small businesses invest in a mobile presence.” He added, “Having a mobile presence can be a huge competitive advantage for small businesses trying to attract local customers by instantly introducing a potential customer to their business’ products and services in a mobile-enhanced way.”
Here are some more statistics showing why now, more than ever, your small business needs a mobile web presence and strategy:
- For small businesses who engage or plan to engage in mobile marketing, 34% say they do it to gain competitive advantage.
- For those small businesses already engaged in mobile marketing, only 1/3 of them plan to devote the same amount of funds and effort to it – the rest plan an increase. None plan to cut their programs.
- 23% of consumers say they are less likely to transact business with a company that gave them a bad mobile web experience.
- Another 40% of consumers say that a bad mobile web experience would send them to a competitor who offered the same or similar products or services.
These study results should convince you that if you don’t already have a mobile web presence and mobile marketing strategy, you urgently need one. For many consumers, your mobile web presence is the basis of their perception about your company. If you don’t have a mobile web presence, it tells customers you don’t care about their preferences. In contrast, a small business with a mobile web presence that engages the customer and enhances their experience will encourage both new and repeat business.
This post is the first in a series of mobile marketing entries that we will be rolling out. Things are changing out there folks, and we want to let you know what is happening so you can position your business ahead of the curve and take advantage of the opportunities that exist in the marketplace. – Scott Bernadot