From the savvy business person to the mum on the run to even teenagers, the mobile is usually the first thing picked up in the morning and the last thing checked at night.
Smart companies, business leaders are now well aware that mobile technology is more than simply “handy”. These people want to be ahead of the game and are seeing the value of not just adding mobile technology to their strategies but considering the use of mobile technology as a very important aspect. It’s no longer about building your website and building the mobile site later. Smart companies engage with mobile technology from the outset to capture that important, ever growing market of mobile users.
Its reported by the Nelson Technology Report that 96 per cent of Australia’s population owns a mobile phone and of these, two out of three mobiles are internet enabled. Around 73 per cent of mobile internet users have used their device to search online for a resource (source "Nelson & Technology Report 2009-2010" (Online Australians age 16+)).
The companies that develop and produce smart phones are constantly pushing the boundaries and striving to innovate.
As we know retail sales are at tipping point. Consumers now expect to use their mobile phone as a channel to engage with and purchase from their preferred retailers. A small percentage of retailers recognise this opportunity and have launched mCommerce (mobile commerce) to their customers and in a small time have produced significant sales increases.
If retailers neglect to acknowledge the power and opportunities of mobile technology unfortunately, they will sit back to watch their sales continue to plummet.
Here is our top 10 reasons to focus on mobile technology and make sure you’re not left behind:
1. Consumer enthusiasm and engagement with mCommerce is growing (predicted to grow to $120bn by 2015).2. Mobile is Real-Time. You can talk to your consumers anywhere at anytime, 24/7, 365 days.
3. Real-Time interaction on mobile informs in-store decision making (51% of consumers have used their mobile phones for in-store activities).
4. Your audience is already trying to find you through their mobile device (17.9% of men aged 13-44 have tried to browse an online retailer using their mobile handset).
5. Instant integration with social media.
6. Your website can and should be optimised for mobile devices.
7. 25 per cent of consumers are disappointed they can’t browse their preferred retailers website via their mobile device and said they would look for an alternative supplier (i.e. your competitor) and never try to access that site again.
8. You can build an effective mobile platform by integrating it with your existing eCommerce provider.
9. Mobile enables an ongoing conversation with your customers through messaging and applications.
10. A focus on design and usability for mobile devices will enhance your brand offering.
Top 3 tips to get started with a mobilising your brand.
1. Select the most important parts of your website to include in your mobile site – remember you don’t need to include everything!
2. Have a clear call to action on each page – make sure you tell your audience what to do or what they should do.
3. Ensure your mobile website works on all smart phones – test, test and test again. Making sure it works properly is key to success.
Smartphones are set to achieve nearly complete market penetration in youth and adult sectors within three years and mobile browsers are becoming the standard platform for accessing the internet. It’s time for retailers to activate their brands via mobile technology to add value and deliver an engaging and memorable experience. If businesses implement mobile technology first they will see the rest of their business follow and most importantly grow.
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David Fastuca Co-Founder of Australia’s leading digital creative agency, Locomote. Locomote is a digital agency that specialises in software development, websites, mobile applications, digital marketing and Venture Technology investments to internet startups.
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