Get Your Business Mobile Ready

Jerry Rackley

Mobile readyTrends in mobile marketing mean more businesses are working hard to make the necessary changes to their businesses. Are you a small business owner trying to get your business mobile ready? With 55 percent of U.S. adult cell phone users using their mobile devices to browse the Internet according to research by Pew Internet, you should. Over half of your current and prospective customers may intermingle with your business while on the move. Does your business provide today’s mobile customer with a seamless experience? We have three simple ways to get your business mobile ready.

Optimize Your Website.

How does your website appear to people who visit it via their mobile phones? Does it take your site a long amount of time to load? Are the buttons easy to find and appropriately sized so customers can navigate your page from the small screen?

To transform your business to one that is mobile-savvy, ensure your website is optimized for mobile browsing. Consumers want convenience, and a company needs to make sure its website provides a smooth experience across all spectrums of mobile devices.

If you do not have all of the resources available to transform your website and design a mobile-only version, make a few minor changes to your main website and you can still drastically improve consumers’ mobile navigation experience. Provide the information they need as soon as they land on your page. Make sure your page is set up to afford someone to make a purchase in the moment and not have to revisit your page later. Because chances are, they won’t.

Update Your Online Listings.

So your website is optimized for mobile browsing, what’s next? Make certain that prospective customers can find your business while they’re on the move. Lots of people use apps to locate businesses, but still many companies neglect to include contact information such as their business hours, or they have out of date information.

Research by SinglePlatform shows that 49% of local businesses report that they’ve never updated the online listings on a search engine, mobile app or review site. However, 50 percent admit they have seen inaccurate listings for their businesses on the Internet.

Take the time to update every one of your business directory listings to include your hours of operation, your address, your phone number and a brief description of your services. Remember to add a link to your website so Internet browsers can easily determine if your business provides what they need.

Lay the Foundation.

Is there any other reason to update your listings on search engine sites such as Yelp and Google? There sure is! The listings will create a positive impact on your local search results.

A simple way to boost your rankings in local searches is to make sure you’re included in all major business directories. Double check your Google Place page and the category assignment are correct.

As you prepare your business for mobile, keep in mind that your customers are doing more than just surfing the Web and social media sites. They’re also reading their email. Yet companies continue to use colored backgrounds and other design elements that make seeing their webpages a challenge on the mobile device, even unreadable. Focus on avoiding mobile marketing mistakes as you design your upcoming email newsletter. Optimize that email for mobile so customers can read about your promotions from any location.

Is your business mobile ready?

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Megan Totka is the Chief Editor for ChamberofCommerce.com. She specializes on the topic of small business tips and resources. ChamberofCommerce.com helps small businesses grow their business on the web and facilitates connectivity between local businesses and more than 7,000 Chambers of Commerce worldwide.

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