• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Submissions
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Jun 4, 2023
  • Startup
    • Creating a Plan
    • Funding a Startup
    • Franchise Center
    • Getting Your Office Ready
    • Making Your Business Official
    • Marketing Your New Business
    • Personal Readiness
  • Run & Grow
    • Customer Service
    • Human Resources
    • Innovation
    • Legal
    • Operations
    • Risk Management
  • Leadership
    • Best Practices
    • Communication
    • Green Initiatives
    • Open Culture
    • Strategic Planning
    • People Skills
  • Sales & Marketing
    • Advertising and Lead Generation
    • Marketing Innovations
    • Marketing Plans
    • Online Marketing
    • Relationships
    • Sales Activities
  • Finance
    • Budgeting and Personal Finance
    • Payments and Collections
    • Tax and Accounting
    • Pricing Strategy
    • Working with Investors
    • Working with Lenders
  • Tech
    • eCommerce
    • Hardware
    • Software
    • Security
    • Tech Reviews
    • Telecom
  • Shop

SmallBizClub

Helping You Succeed

taxbandits banner
Home / Sales and Marketing / Online Marketing / Can Local Small Businesses Benefit from Mobile Optimization?
Can Local Small Businesses Benefit from Mobile Optimization?

Can Local Small Businesses Benefit from Mobile Optimization?

2624 Views

Jun 15, 2015 By Deborah Sweeney

Mobile optimization has become a hotly talked-about subject since Google announced its latest “Mobile-Friendly” algorithm change earlier this year. Essentially, sites that are mobile responsive will now rank higher than sites that aren’t.

 
But how does this affect businesses that don’t rely heavily on web traffic? Companies like local brick & mortar stores and restaurants? The answer is more than you may think. Foot traffic may be your biggest draw, but research has shown that 74% of smartphone users use location-based services to get directions and recommendations. That means a major chunk of your target market will use their phones to find your business. And, if you don’t have a mobile strategy in place, you may be left in the dust.
 
Optimize Your Site
 
As I mentioned, Google recently changed its algorithm, but one of Google’s Webmaster Trends Analysts was quoted as saying this wouldn’t dramatically impact local pack listings. For those who don’t know, pack listings are the local search results tied to the searcher’s location that appear above the regular results. So if your business was within that pack before, not having a mobile-site shouldn’t have dropped you out of it.
 
Related Article: 4 Problems Solved by Responsive Design
 
That said, there is nothing stopping the team that handles local results from tweaking their own algorithm to include mobile friendliness. It’s a good idea, then, to have a mobile version of your site up, even if your site is literally just a picture of your store front with its name, location, and phone number. Just be sure to keep that vital information front and center, since mobile users are less likely to hunt for contact details.
 
Don’t Copy Big Brands
 
Marketing tends to follow a trickle-down path: big business tries something out, succeeds, and smaller business emulates. But some of the tactics major companies and brands use just don’t work for small brick & mortars. Popular brands like to push people to take pictures with the product, interact with the marketing team and, if they do have a location, to check-in.
 
When smaller businesses try to do it, it tends to feel a little off. Fewer and fewer people are using their phones to ‘check-in’ places, which makes sense—checking into Disneyland shares what is, for many, an experience. Checking into the local Italian restaurant isn’t quite the same. Mobile optimization, then, means building a mobile presence based on how your market wants to interact with your business. Chances are that means coupons, alerts about sales/specials, reviews, and information on how to contact you.
 
Offer Opt-In Messaging
 
With that in mind, the other part of your mobile strategy should be to use it to spread information about the business. Case studies have found that SMS-based marketing is still an effective strategy for businesses. A study by Responsys found that 76% of consumers actually prefer receiving offers via SMS to adverts on mobile apps or in-app messaging. You simply have to make sure people want to receive texts from you. As long as they are open to it, it’s a great way to get your business into their phone.
 
An active mobile presence builds credibility, and helps you to stand out from the competition. Nearly 9 in 10 consumers will, at some point, research companies and read reviews to size up local businesses. When they search for a keyword or your company’s name, you want them to be able to find you, your address, your website, and your reviews.
 
Along with making sure you’re locally listed, ensure that your site is mobile friendly and up-to-date. Once you have that presence set, start looking into using direct mobile marketing through an avenue like SMS. There are tons of CRM services that can help you automate and track your mobile marketing. The most important part, though, is to make an effort to optimize your business for mobile—the last thing you want is to be passed over because someone couldn’t find your address on their phone.

Filed Under: Online Marketing Tagged With: Deborah Sweeney, Google+, Mobile, Website

Deborah Sweeney

Deborah Sweeney

Deborah Sweeney is the CEO of MyCorporation.com. MyCorporation is a leader in online legal filing services for entrepreneurs and businesses, providing start-up bundles that include corporation and LLC formation, registered agent, DBA, and trademark & copyright filing services. MyCorporation does all the work, making the business formation and maintenance quick and painless, so business owners can focus on what they do best. Follow her on Twitter @deborahsweeney and @mycorporation.

Related Posts

  • 15 Reasons No One Cares About Your Small Business Right Now
  • How to Start a Web Development Business in 2023
  • Understanding the Role of Web Presence in Today’s Digital Landscape

Primary Sidebar

Random

15 Reasons No One Cares About Your Small Business Right Now

May 31, 2023 By Jeremy Bowler

4 Things to Keep In Mind When Choosing Your Next Vehicle

May 30, 2023 By Becky Wilson

How to Compare Guaranteed Investment Certificates

May 30, 2023 By Paul Williams Short

Why Is It Important To Tell A Story In Your Marketing?

May 26, 2023 By Dan Alvin

The Power of Collaboration: Why It’s Essential for Small Businesses

May 25, 2023 By SmallBizClub

Footer

About Us

Small Biz Club is the premier destination for small business owners and entrepreneurs. To succeed in business, you have to constantly learn about new things, evaluate what you’re doing, and look for ways to improve—that’s what we’re here to help you do.

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2023 by Tarkenton Institute, Inc. All Rights Reserved | Terms | Privacy