Is Your Content Ready for Mobile Search?

Remember the days before Google? In the early years of the Internet, content was mostly available via portals such as AOL, Netscape and others. As the depth of content on the Internet expanded, these portals were unable to provide adequate access to information. Then came the search engine rush that brought us instant access to a vast array of content and the modern Internet was born. History is repeating itself in the area of mobile content as the depth of content developed for mobile phones increases and most of the operators run their own portals that showcase the best available content. Is your organization ready to take advantage of the coming mobile search boom?

Consumers using Mobile Devices for Research on the Rise

This holiday season put the growing importance of mobile search into perspective. A study by ForeSee Results released last month showed that although few consumers make purchases using their phones, smartphones are playing a critical role in purchasing decisions among consumers. The study, which surveyed 10,000 visitors to top e-retailer sites, found that thirty-three percent of visitors used a mobile phone to access any company's website, mobile website or mobile shopping app - up 9% from 2009. Another 26% haven't yet, but plan to do the same in the future.

Two Easy Steps You can Take to Mobilize Your Content Right Now

1. Make Sure Your Content is Mobile Friendly
   There are several techniques for making your current mobile content easy to navigate. That aside, I think it is arguably more important to understand your mobile content strategy. For example, if you are a bank or credit union, your customers and members are much more likely to have a desire for quick access to mobile banking, ATM/branch locations and education tools to help them make financial decisions than the history of your institution or an online mortgage application.
2. Optimize Your Content for Mobile Search
   For starters, ensure your site is utilizing mobile search engine optimization best practices. If you have a mobile version of your site, make sure to redirect mobile visitors to relevant mobile-optimized pages. It's the content on the page that counts. For example, most mobile users will search based on location and will likely look for maps, directions and a phone number on a mobile site. This is a great opportunity to take advantage of device features like click-to-call by ensuring phone numbers are linked.

This blog post was originally published on the Priority Blog at priorityresults.com/blog. Priority Integrated Marketing is now BlueSpire Strategic Marketing.