Smartphone user study shows mobile movement under way

71% of smartphone users search because of an ad they’ve seen either online or offline; 82% of smartphone users notice mobile ads, 74% of smartphone shoppers make a purchase as a result of using their smartphones to help with shopping, and 88% of those who look for local information on their smartphones take action within a day.

These are some of the key findings from “The Mobile Movement: Understanding Smartphone Users,” a study from Google and conducted by Ipsos OTX, an independent market research firm, among 5,013 US adult smartphone Internet users at the end of 2010. Join us in tomorrow’s webinar where we’ll present the full research findings. In the meantime, enjoy this research highlights video and read on for a summary of our main section findings:

General Smartphone Usage: Smartphones have become an integral part of users’ daily lives. Consumers use smartphones as an extension of their desktop computers and use it as they multi-task and consume other media.

• 81% browse the Internet, 77% search, 68% use an app, and 48% watch videos on their smartphone
• 72% use their smartphones while consuming other media, with a third while watching TV
• 93% of smartphone owners use their smartphones while at home 

Action-Oriented Searchers: Mobile search is heavily used to find a wide variety of information and to navigate the mobile Internet. 

• Search engine websites are the most visited websites with 77% of smartphone users citing this, followed by social networking, retail and video sharing websites 
• Nine out of ten smartphone searches results in an action (purchasing, visiting a business, etc.)
• 24% recommended a brand or product to others as a result of a smartphone search

Local Information Seekers: Looking for local information is done by virtually all smartphone users and consumers are ready to act on the information they find. 

• 95% of smartphone users have looked for local information
• 88% of these users take action within a day, indicating these are immediate information needs
• 77% have contacted a business, with 61% calling and 59% visiting the local business

Purchase-driven Shoppers: Smartphones have become an indispensable shopping tool and are used across channels and throughout the research and decision-making process. 

• 79% of smartphone consumers use their phones to help with shopping, from comparing prices, finding more product info to locating a retailer
• 74% of smartphone shoppers make a purchase, whether online, in-store, or on their phones
• 70% use their smartphones while in the store, reflecting varied purchase paths that often begin online or on their phones and brings consumers to the store

Reaching Mobile Consumers: Cross-media exposure influences smartphone user behavior and a majority notice mobile ads which leads to taking action on it.

• 71% search on their phones because of an ad exposure, whether from traditional media (68%) to online ads (18%) to mobile ads (27%)
• 82% notice mobile ads, especially mobile display ads and a third notice mobile search ads
• Half of those who see a mobile ad take action, with 35% visiting a website and 49% making a purchase

Implications

The findings of the study have strong implications for businesses and mobile advertisers. Make sure you can be found via mobile search as consumers regularly use their phones to find and act on information. Incorporate location based products and services and make it easy for mobile customers to reach you because local information seeking is common among smartphone users.  Develop a comprehensive cross-channel strategy as mobile shoppers use their phones in-store, online and via mobile website and apps to research and make purchase decisions.  Last, implement an integrated marketing strategy with mobile advertising that takes advantage of the knowledge that people are using their smartphones while consuming other media and are influenced by it.

Posted by Dai Pham, Google Mobile Ads Marketing Team

5 Key Reasons SEO Should Be Part Of Your Marketing Toolkit

Wonder if first page search engine ranking is vital for your business?

Here are 5 reasons why you should ensure SEO is part of your company’s marketing toolkit.

Everybody Googles It

Search engines in general, and Google in particular, are now the main route for researching any purchase. A proportion of your potential customers will use Google – just like you – to look for the services you offer. Being on the first page of the search engine results will drive more customers to your site.

91% of people surveyed said they prefer using natural search results when looking to buy a product or service online.

Even new customers that come to you through referrals will still search on Google for the services they are looking for and to see what’s on offer. You need to make sure that they see your company name when they are searching.

Your Customers Are Looking Elsewhere

Even if you have a loyal customer base, or you are on a preferred supplier list, your customers are likely to be searching on your key phrases in Google.

If your customer are researching the market, or even looking for a service that they don’t realize you are able to provide, do you want the competition to win the business, just because they’ve invested in SEO and you haven’t?

If you are in a fairly competitive sector, you’ll need the help of an agency specializing in SEO, as there are a large number of both on-site and off-site factors to consider when you want to achieve first page rankings on Google.

Authority

Many people using the internet consider companies who appear on the first page of Google as leaders in their sector.

36% of search engine users believe that companies whose websites appear top of the search results are the leading companies in that field. Only 25% believe that top search engine rankings do not automatically signify an industry leader. (iProspect / Jupiter Research 2006)

Further research also indicates that 62% of users click on results on the first page and 92% within the first 3 pages, with only 8% going further than the first 3 pages.

Cost Effective

Search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM) overall is far less expensive than traditional marketing methods, which allows you to increases your bottom line whilst reducing your customer acquisition costs.

Conversion rates from organic search tend to be lower than the conversion rates from paid search. Achieving high results for valuable key phrases in the natural search results is a very cost effective method of driving important traffic you your site.

In a recent conducted by Hubspot 43% of businesses reported the cost per lead for organic search marketing (SEO) as below the average cost per lead for their business. With a further 40% reporting SEO leads to at near the average cost per lead.

Trust

Organic search is more popular and trusted than sponsored links. You should use SEO to get more traffic at a lower cost.

Sponsored links are a cost effective way to get your business onto the first page of search engines, but normally natural listings drive more traffic to your site at a lower cost per sale.

When looking to buy a product or service online 91% of people said they preferred using natural search engine results (Tamar 2008 Search Attitude Report). The same survey also found that 31% of people actively choose natural search over paid search results as they trust search engines to give them the most relevant results.

If you want to be a leader in your chosen market, ensuring that your position in the search engines reflects your market position is an essential part of your future customers’ perception of your brand.

Article by: Search Engine People

Optimizing Your Landing Page

The easiest way to test your landing pages is through a process called an A/B split. You start with web page A (the control) and web page B as a test page. Both web pages are identical except for the single variable you want to test. For example, both pages may be identical except for the main headline, or the signup link.

Once you’ve setup your simple A/B test, you split your traffic between the two pages and observe your sales or leads. After both pages have achieved a reasonable number of conversions, you’ll be able to see the winning page. The losing page is removed and replaced with another contender.

You repeat this process with different layouts, different ad copy, and different headlines until you find the best possible landing page. You’ll know this when your split test results no longer show any significant difference between pages.

Can you test more than two pages at a time? Of course you can, but keep in mind that the more pages you add to the A/B test, the longer it will take for you to get any kind of meaningful result. That’s why we recommend that you test no more than three pages at a time.

With A/B split testing, landing page optimization gets much simpler and faster. You can get really meaningful results with only a small number of website visitors, and get higher conversion rates consistently.

Contact ArcWin Media for a free consultation of your businesses website and marketing strategy. Call Us! 561-948-4438

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What is a Landing Page

Landing page optimization is perhaps the most important Internet marketing tactic you need to master if you truly want to succeed online. Having an effective landing page that maximizes your conversions will help you dominate your niche market. In fact, if you’re into Google Adwords you should already know the extreme importance of landing pages.

What is a Landing Page and Why is it Important?

A landing page is a page that you drive traffic to. It’s part of your overall website, but different landing pages can be customized to suit the product or the traffic source. Depending on the type of landing page, it can also be known as a squeeze page, sales page, opt-in page or money page. However, the basic purpose for any landing page no matter what it’s called is to get conversions.

When you have your landing pages setup, you need to go out and get traffic. You may have heard that traffic is the lifeblood of any business website. The more traffic you get, the more money you make. Although that is true, there’s only that much traffic you can get with a limited budget and time.

The real lifeblood of a business website is conversions. If you can convert your traffic to sales more efficiently than others, you’ll be the dominant player in your niche market within a short period of time.

Let our professionals at ArcWin Media provide you with a no obligation consultation of your company’s website and marketing strategy.

Article Marketing

Article marketing is probably one of the most powerful and inexpensive forms of marketing online available to small business owners and non-profíts. For those not savvy with the term “article marketing,” here is a quick definition:

In exchange for a little sweat and focus, an article author (you) shares their wisdom and experience with the world by posting their short article of advice or insight to blogs, social media, and article publication sites. Within those articles are one-way links leading back to the author’s own website, raising the website’s “authority” karma with the search engines and increasing qualified traffíc.

Let the professionals at ArcWin Media provide your business a complimentary evaluation of your website and online marketing strategy. Call Us! 561-948-4438

Dominate Your Local Market

Local Marketing: What’s Hot, What’s Not

Want to focus your marketing budget on the tactics that are likely to give you the highest ROI? Start with an inside look at this year’s top trends.

When it comes to marketing in 2011, you can choose from so many channels, tools and technologies. Which is the “silver bullet” for your business? According to Forrester research, instead of looking for one right tactic, savvy marketers are taking a multi-channel approach. Here’s an inside look at three of the hottest tactics local businesses are integrating into this year’s marketing plans.

HOT: Social Media. A majority of marketers now let employees participate in social media and speak for the brand like never before. If you’re tapping social media, however, make sure everyone is onboard and “on-message”. After all, you don’t want an unfortunate remark from a customer service person to publicly undermine your brand and your business.

HOT: SEO. More than half the marketers interviewed by Forrester plan to increase SEO spending 20%. The secret is to tie to SEO efforts to metrics—and accountability.

HOT: Display Ads. The Forrester research notes that “suddenly brand and direct response marketers have new and better ways to buy display media that tie more fully to overall consumer behavior.” In a crowded online marketplace, it pays to take advantage of tactics that literally clear away competitors.

ArcWin Media gives our customers quantifiable results. We’ve integrated technology that allows our customers to track and review responses from their online marketing such as phone calls (recordable and reviewable), e-mails, submitted forms, and more. Our product line allows for a Complete Internet and Integrated Media Marketing Solution!

Call Us for a Free Consultation! 561-948-4438

Blogging – Start Creating Content

Content can be anything you want it to be – but it should obviously be relevant to your target audience.

Some suggestions for blog posts include:

• Industry-specific tips
• Special offers/new product features
• Book reviews
• Tutorials and how-to
• Interviews with employees, customers or partners
• Giveaways, contests, surveys

Encourage your readers to interact through questions, comments or
feedback. If they leave a comment, be sure to respond to them.
Everyone likes to be noticed.

It is also important to contribute to your blog regularly (at least once a
week). This will ensure that your content is fresh and that your visitors
keep coming back. Keep it consistent, and keep it real. Other than
that, just have fun with it!

Social Media’s #1 Rule

It’s time you hopped on the social media bandwagon. Over 75%
of consumers use social media in some format to learn about
products and services…so unless your target market is clearly not
using social media, you can’t afford to miss out on the action.

You must remember one thing when using Social Media:
Don’t sell on social media. Social media is about you becoming a part
of the community. Companies who try to sell on social media are usually
met with harsh responses. Concentrate on getting your name out there
and building your likability and expertise. You’ll be able to sell them
later…from your website.

SEO & Inbound Links

Inbound links build your reputation and credibility among search engines
(and potential customers for that matter). These inbound links (often
called backlinks) also allow search engines to more easily find you, rank
you and get you on the search lists. Not all backlinks are created equal, however.

Links that come from legitimate sites are best. If you are linked from a
very popular site – even better. But purchased links from “link farms”
might actually do more harm than good. It may sound daunting, but you
can build a solid base of backlinks the right way if you are patient and
consistent in your efforts.

Call ArcWin Media for a free review of you website.

561-948-4438

www.ArcWinMedia.com

Website Evaluation

Your website is your “storefront.” You should put as much
into your virtual storefront as you would to the front window
display at a traditional store on Main Street. Your website
needs to attract customers and keep them coming back
for more.

1. Where do your eyes go first?
A visitor to your website typically has an attention span of only a few
seconds. That means your website must “hook” them in that amount
of time. Make sure the first thing they see/notice is something
interesting enough to buy you more time.

2. Do you know right away what this website is about?
Again, you have limited time to get your message across. If there are
too many distractions, a site visitor may not ever know what you are
selling.

3. Is the important information “above the fold?”
Most site visitors want to know the details without doing a lot of
work. If they have to scroll down to find the main idea, they will
likely leave earlier than you’d like. Make sure that your Unique
Selling Proposition (USP) is clearly spelled out. This is a piece of
information that says in one sentence or less why someone should
do business with you. Make it clear and prominent on your site.

4. Can you easily find the benefits of the product/service?
A visitor to your site wants to learn as much as possible about the
benefits of your product or service. Features are important, too, but
the most important thing a visitor can take away is a sense that this
product or service will make an impact in their life…for the better.

5. Is there a clear call to action?
If customers like what they see, it is important to move them along
quickly. There should be a prominent, clear call to action on your
website. Your call to action may be to buy now, start a free trial,
learn more or something else. Make sure that you are not sending
mixed messages with too many calls to action. Choose the one or
two that matter most and make them easy to find.

6. Are the colors and images aesthetically pleasing?
If your website is too busy or jarring, you will lose visitors. Take a
little time to coordinate colors and to implement high quality images
that add to your message.

7. Is the font easy to read?
Make sure your font is easy to read and is not distracting. Don’t get
fancy; just stick with a simple, sans-serif font in a contrasting color
to the background.

8. Are there bulky sections of writing anywhere on the page?
Long, bulky paragraphs are likely to get skipped. Try breaking up
your copy into smaller sections that get the point across quickly.

9. Do the menu items clearly tell you where they will take you?
Site design and usability are important considerations that often get
overlooked. Think about what information you would want to find if
you visited this site, and plan your menus accordingly. There should
almost always be an “about us” and “contact us” page.

10. Is there an easy way to contact the business?
If your website does its job, you will likely have interested prospects
who want to learn more or simply have a few questions. Make sure
they have an easy way to find you. Potential customers also want
to know that they will be able to get a hold of you if needed in the
future, whether for warranty service or support.

11. Can you find out more about the owner or employees of the company?
Visitors often want to know that they are dealing with real people.
Having an “about us” page is a great way to show the world why you
are the best one to handle the job. Include photos, too – everyone
likes to associate a face to the business.

12. Do you feel personally connected?
Visitors who feel personally connected will be more likely to stick
around and/or become a customer. Tell your story, and tell them
why you are the right choice. You can personally connect with your
visitors by being honest, using a conversational writing style and
including real testimonials from other customers.

13. Is the writing corporate or conversational?
Corporate writing is good for…well, big corporations. But a
small business shouldn’t pretend to be a big, formal entity that is
disconnected from the public. Your ability to relate to your customers
is a big reason why they will eventually choose you – start right away
with engaging, conversational tone in your writing.

14. Is there a web form above the fold?
A web form is really the only way to capture leads from your website
visitors. Make sure that it is in a visible place above the fold. The
better it looks, the more people will fill it out.

15. Is the offering appealing enough to make you want to give your email address?
Your web form should also offer an incentive piece to spark a
visitor’s interest and convince them to give you their information.
Make sure that this incentive piece is appealing – offer real tips,
actionable advice or special deals that will immediately help
your prospects.

16. Is there multimedia?
Multimedia is a great way to add character and interest to your
website. Videos, podcasts, tutorials and other multimedia options
allow you to present your message to your visitors in a way that
appeals to them.

17. Are there links to social media?
Social media allows you to communicate with your prospects, and
it allows them to communicate with each other. Include links to your
blog, Facebook, Twitter and other social media accounts. Make it
easy for everyone to find you on social media…even if they don’t fill
out your web form, they may choose to follow you in some fashion.

At ArcWin Media our purpose is to help businesses grow. We understand the importance of having a great website, and we’re happy to help you get on the right track.
Give us a call today at 561-948-4438