Search marketers should consider that their efforts might be reaching consumers on small screens. A survey from BIGresearch reveals that 55.9 percent of smartphone users prefer to access the internet via their mobile devices than through traditional desktops.
Using the internet and checking emails are top smartphone activities for 16.7 percent and 15.7 percent of users, respectively. Both outranked calling features, which just 7.8 percent of smartphone owners cite as “essential” services available on their phones.
Eighty-one percent of internet-using mobile phone owners frequently browse for products and services, which means mobile marketing should be a priority for brands. Local marketing is especially important, as 77.5 percent say they search the internet for nearby stores and store hours.
Marketers planning mobile campaigns should think twice before turning to locally targeted ads, though. More than one-third of consumers say they have concerns about their locations being tracked. With this in mind, positioning brands for optimal discoverability via local SEO may be a good way to attract organic traffic.
Indeed, Brafton has reported in the past that local SEO may be the best route for mobile marketing campaigns in light of the recent Locationgate scandal that may leave consumers wary of locally targeted ads.
