Mobile Search Realities

In Preparing for Mobile Search Marketing, DM News had this to say back in late 2006, and it's every bit as applicable today:

"The physical size of mobile cell phone browser displays reduces the traditional 1024 x 768 browser window to a tiny screen. Text size must be proportionally expanded to be readable on these tiny screens, which necessarily reduces the number of results, both organic and sponsored, that can be displayed per any given query.

This necessary screen reduction has a very important influence on how marketers must run search campaigns in mobile environments. Because fewer results are displayable, it becomes more critical to achieve top-ranked positions."

The article then went on to advise the following:

"The bad news, of course, is that the addition of mobile search capabilities will force you to retool the way your search campaigns run and the way your landing pages are configured. Make sure your inhouse team or SEM agency is up to speed on this new platform and can create or (adapt) your existing search campaigns to maximally leverage it."

More recently, Patrick Collins, President of 5th Finger, stated the following on the topic in Are mobile search ads for every marketer?:

"Because of the small screen size, pages containing large amounts of content can easily overwhelm mobile users. Instead, brands should focus on providing their mobile users with bite-sized content and utilities such as store locators, video and mobile alerts and downloadable content. In the end, a strong focus on the needs of the consumer and an understanding of what works best in the mobile channel will lead to effective ways to engage with mobile consumers."

Changes that Will Help Prepare You for Mobile Search

As discussed in Part 1 of this post, smartphones will make life easier for business/website owners, but smartphone use isn't widespread enough to allow that level of ease just yet. That means changes must be implemented now.

Some needed changes follow:

• Simplify Your Site
• Improve Navigation
• Reconfigure Landing Pages
• Place New Emphasis on SEO
• Consider Local Search Advertising
• Determine How You'll Maximize this Active Market Segment

We'll discuss the first few techniques in this post and the remainder in Part 3.

Simplify Your Site

In Are You Giving Consumers What They Want?, Michael Durwin states this about developing your mobile website:

"A mobile site is not complicated, [sic] as a matter of fact it is a much less complicated site than a regular website. Since you’re limited in the amount of information you can show, and bandwidth is limited, it’s easier to narrow your offerings down to basics like contact, store finder, etc."

Improve Site Navigation

Wise use of links, widgets, and forms will help ensure smooth navigation of your scaled-down mobile site, allowing your mobile visitors to access all the most important content without frustration. In addition to linking to every page on your mobile website, links can lead to your regular (PC) website, your social media profiles, and anything else you'd like to link to. Widgets can allow your visitors to use such services as PayPal to complete their transactions on your site. Forms can serve the same functions they do on any website: allowing visitors to opt in to your e-mail list or e-newsletter or refer their friends to your site. The only difference is that mobile forms will need to be simpler.

In Part 3, we'll discuss the last four techniques that will help you prepare for the burgeoning mobile search market.