Data Indicates that Mobile Search Exceeds Desktop Search During its “Prime Time.”

A data-driven marketing approach identifies trends in consumer behavior and capitalizes on them.  Trends in mobile search demonstrate the need to incorporate mobile search into an advertiser’s overall marketing strategy. Recent data indicates that mobile search is on the rise in the morning and evenings and as opposed to desktop search, which peaks during the daytime hours.  Although it has been speculated that mobile search is going to generate more revenue and eventually be bigger than desktop search, this data indicates that desktop search and mobile search each have their own “prime time”.  This data also indicates that mobile search is going to be incremental to PC search – not cannibalize it.

Although it’s far off in the future that mobile search may take over the tried-and-true desktop search, it’s still vital to develop a mobile search strategy and maintain mobile search best practices.

Developing your mobile search strategy

Here are keys to the kingdom of mobile paid search:

1. Findability: As with existing paid search campaigns, mobile search utilizes keywords to answer a consumer’s search query and drive them to an appropriate landing page. With mobile search, you also have the option of enabling a click-to-call action by including a phone number in your ad so that, with the click of a button, consumers can call your business from their mobile device.  According to tests of including “Click to Call” numbers in ads, increases in click-through-rates have ranged from 5 to 30%.

2. Targeting: Mobile campaigns can be set up to target users based on their device or mobile provide. For a target audience that is composed of business travelers, targeting consumers with Blackberries will aid in reaching that target audience.   Just with geotargeted paid search, mobile search allows advertisers to target specific locations.  This allows for the most targeted messages to be deployed so that consumers can see the most relevant information based on their location. With address and phone number provided, consumers have the power to take immediate action at their fingertips.

3. Relevancy: Not only is it important for messaging to be relevant, but the landing page which you send them to is also vital.  Send consumers to a landing page with the information that they’re looking for.

4. Usability: Having a relevant landing page is vital, but its relevancy only goes so far if it’s difficult to use.  Having a mobile-friendly site, complete with the functionality that one would expect from its desktop counterpart, is key to providing consumers with the best site experience.