Meet the Mobile Fanatics

Is your small business website mobile-friendly? Is your business listed on local search directories so customers and prospects can find you on their mobile devices when they’re out and about? If not, you are losing out on a new breed of mobile shoppers that the Local Search Association has dubbed “Mobile Fanatics.”

These mobile shoppers conduct at least 10 searches per week on at least two devices from multiple locations, reports The Mobile Fanatics – How Mobile is Transforming Local Shopping. In fact, six out of 10 Mobile Fanatics are more likely to use smartphones or tablets than PCs to research information before purchasing products and services in brick-and-mortar locations.

Here’s what else you need to know about Mobile Fanatics:

• They tend to be younger and more affluent than the average mobile user, making them highly desirable customers.
• They are more engaged with and more influenced by mobile marketing. Seventy percent of “Mobile Fanatics” who see mobile ads make a purchase, and 80 percent do so within 72 hours of viewing the ad.
• Once they’re in stores, Mobile Fanatics are more likely than average users to use various mobile apps to get information. For example, 74 percent use search apps vs. 51 percent of average users; 43 percent use social media apps vs. 30 percent of average users and 42 percent use online shopping apps like Amazon vs. 29 percent of average users.

Basically, Mobile Fanatics are more likely than other users to be comparing prices, looking for deals and ready to leave your store to buy the product elsewhere (or buy it online) if they find a better offer.

Even among average consumers, more than one-third now use mobile devices more often than desktops to conduct searches when researching a purchase. The writing is on the wall: The trend toward mobile use, even among average consumers, is starting to make traditional advertising less effective, the report concludes. Instead of taking a linear path from the desktop PC to the purchase, consumers today now consider online and offline advertising and marketing, giving businesses the opportunity to reach them at any time, on any device.

What does this information mean to you?

• Make sure your business website is mobile-friendly—ideally by using responsive website design—so consumers doing mobile searches will get good results.
• Keep your business listings on local search directories SEO optimized and up-to-date so mobile shoppers will find you.
• If you own a brick-and-mortar location, make sure your sales reps are sensitive to shoppers using mobile devices. They should offer in-person assistance and additional product to help encourage purchasing by mobile shoppers who might be considering leaving to purchase elsewhere.

The Mobile Fanatic trend isn’t going away. As today’s young users get older, it will only get stronger—so take steps now to meet these consumers’ needs.

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