The Growth of Mobile Search and How It Impacts Local Search Marketing and Advertising

When it comes to mobile search, it is all about satisfying the immediate needs of on-the-go users. Consumers do not live isolated lives; therefore, there is one question that still remains: how does that particular activity (on-the-go mobile searches) impact searches when they move to their desktops and tablets?

Statistics show that roughly 40 percent of individuals use their smartphones, on average, to search for something to fill their immediate needs. Since there is so much attention given to marketers and brands, especially locally, there is a need to be “mobile-first”. However, it doesn’t mean that you need to be “mobile-mainly,” and there is a difference.

Take, for example, the fact that there are more than 25 percent of individuals who search, on a typical day, across multiple devices. For that reason, you need to be able to reach your customers whenever and wherever they are. In order to do this, you need to be able to create a marketing message and match that message to the correct device at the correct time.

Primetime Search

In a recent analysis, Google found that mobile is very popular for individuals in the early morning as people will reach for the smaller device that is on their bedside table when they wake up or on their way to school or work. Then, around 8 a.m., desktops become dominant. Then, in the late afternoon, mobile devices take over again, continue to increase as the evening hours approach and spike during the primetime hours.

For specific categories for mobile-based searches, home and garden grew up to 45 percent, consumer electronics and apparel both saw an increase of 40 percent and finance saw an increase of 35 percent. Year-over-year, each marketing category saw an increase of somewhere between 20 and 30 percent.

In terms of advertising and marketing, one would assume that these increases make it easier to reach consumers, but it can also make it more complicated. This is because you are dealing with a smaller-than-usual screen with mobile advertising. This creates difficulty when you want to implement cross-device advertising. However, it doesn’t mean that it isn’t possible. To discuss how to make a campaign work for your business, get in touch with us here at WebDetail.