According to experts, this year will be the year that mobile internet usage will finally surpass desktop internet use. This milestone is so huge for mobile that it really is hard to put into words. Remember a few years ago when you were glued to your computer screen?
Well, the experts were right and those days are soon to be gone!
However, this has been a long time coming, and while an expected and inevitable transition, it will have resounding effects on how all types of businesses operate.
As you probably know people are doing more with their smartphones than just downloading games and music, or ordering food and buying movie tickets. More and more, people are using their devices to conduct business, do research, and work with customers on the go.
B2C businesses have begun rapidly adopting mobile marketing since it is so critical to their business. Without mobile marketing, small businesses can potentially LOSE revenue! And now for B2B businesses, we feel it’s time they start doing their research and making the same investments in their mobile strategy.
According to data, 96% of consumer have encountered a mobile website that wasn’t as mobile friendly as they would like. A recent Search Engine Watch piece showed that most people have run into non-mobile friendly sites online, and that when they do find mobile friendly sites, they are more likely to come back to them and remain loyal to them. Most users won’t return to a site if it isn’t mobile friendly.
So how should you go about mobilizing your mobile as a B2B company?
B2Bs aren’t usually trying to generate transactions directly through websites, which is different than other retail and B2C businesses. B2Bs still rely heavily on the web to inform and educate their customers, with the focus slowly shifting from web design and e-commerce onto apps and mobile optimized sites.
Those in the know say that B2Bs should be focusing on four main aspects of their mobile presence:
1. Mobile website.
Make sure you are creating the right first impression for your business. Your site should load fast, be easy to read, contain all the relevant information . Make sure your site loads fast and is easy to navigate.
2. Article and content.
B2Bs are using more and more content to help buyers engage with them. Using a blog, info-graphics, and easy to load and read pages, you can engage your customers and provide them with the information they need. Have simple to read fonts, a variety of languages and more to ensure that your customers are able to read and engage with your site.
3. Social media friendly.
You want your site to be shareable, and work in conjunction with social media like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
4. Center around apps.
People use apps on their mobile devices far more than mobile optimized websites, with the average American spending more than half of their mobile time on apps. If not considering an app for your business, at the very least consider your mobile presence within other apps (specifically social media).
With larger displays on new devices, faster data rates, new features and apps introduced constantly, and users spending more and more time on their devices, the new B2B buyer will have to adapt their brand accordingly. Using the mobile marketing boom to your advantage, you can offer your customers what they want in terms of engagement and accessibility.
If you haven’t noticed, we love mobile. So much, we built a whole mobile first company around it.
