How to adapt your digital marketing strategy as mobile users grow

Mobile internet use is soaring in 2017 – around 65% of internet searches across the UK are now from mobile devices, with 35% from desktop users. This means that it’s now more important than ever for businesses to be ready for this, and ensure that their website is responsive and optimised for mobile viewers.

Why do you need to adapt your digital marketing?

With more and more companies now choosing to optimise their content and digital marketing to suit mobile users, companies failing to do the same can be left behind by their competitors. If your website is not mobile-ready then you’ll find that even if your digital marketing strategy is successfully directing more traffic to your website, then you’ll also get a higher bounce rate as mobile users struggle to read, navigate and use your site easily.

What is different about mobile searches?

The reason that it’s important to address mobile search is because the results that show for mobile users can be vastly different to desktop users. One example is in the visual way that results are displayed, but even more importantly Google are always adapting their algorithms to benefit mobile users. One more recent change is displaying more local search results when looking for relevant search information. It is estimated that 70% of website users utilise voice recognition to power their search. Google is continually monitoring the way users search. The most recent trend is a move away from “keyboard-based” search, towards “question-based” search.

Visual considerations for mobile

Mobile optimisation is also about the appearance of your website and content for mobile users. For example, a standard desktop layout can be far too small to read clearly on a smaller mobile screen, or if it’s zoomed in, then only a certain amount of content will be visible at any given time. If questions aren’t answered within the first visible part of the page then users are less likely to scroll down for more information. Websites that use column structures are much better suited to mobile users since the layout can adapt and scale according to the device size.

Features for mobile and desktop users

Another adaptation to think about is that features appear differently for mobile and desktop users such as carousels, videos and imagery. These can bleed off of the mobile screen if they are not scaled correctly. When you set up your website, it’s important to set image sizing according to a percentage of the screen, or within columns set to 100%, instead of the pixel size. This will help it to display in the best possible way for mobile users and desktop users alike.

If you’re looking for a mobile-optimised digital marketing strategy, or simply to re-vamp your current website, then give one of the Iconic Digital team a call today on 020 7100 0726 to discuss your requirements.