Next time you’re in a restaurant, take a look around. Chances are you’ll see at least one person with a smartphone glued to her hand.
Mobile devices are prolific in today’s world. That’s not a secret. Because of the sheer volume of mobile device users, marketers assume that mobile marketing will yield higher engagement rates. Hey, your customers are using their phone anyway, right? It only makes sense that it’s easier for them to engage with your brand when it’s in the palm of their hand.
Statistics show otherwise.
Engagement on Mobile Devices is Suffering
Several recent customer engagement studies have shown that customers are less engaged with brands when using a mobile device.
- Google Visitor Engagement found that desktop users stayed on a website three times longer than people who viewed on mobile devices.
- Amazon.com found that desktop visitors to their website spent two times longer on their pages than mobile device users.
- The New York Times found that the average desktop visitor spent 17 minutes on their website NYTimes.com, compared to the one minute and 43 seconds spent by mobile device users.
- MailChimp found that fewer people reading on a mobile device click on links than people reading on a desktop computer.
These statistics can serve as a sobering wake up call to mobile marketers. Yet, the upward momentum in the mobile device market cannot be ignored. Instead, it’s time for marketers to make a shift in how they approach mobile marketing efforts.
Consider the Circumstances
Mobile devices are used in very different circumstances than other computers. For example, it’s much more burdensome to bring a laptop computer with you and log onto the Internet while driving to try to find a place of business, than it is a smartphone.
Your mobile website design should cater to these differences.
Give your visitor the information she wants. Although she might not spend as much time on your website, if she finds what she needs, she’s more likely to spend more time (and more money) in your shop.
Ask for the Engagement
Does your email recipient know what you want her to do with your email? Do you make it easy for her to accomplish that task on her smartphone? Or does she need to wait until she’s back at her computer (where she’ll likely forget about it)?
Make it so simple to engage with your brand that it’s hard for your reader to say no. Don’t let poor design, buried links, or hidden calls-to-action stifle your engagement. Ask for the action in a way that’s hard to ignore.
Takeaways
Mobile devices are changing the way marketers approach customers. By considering the experience your customer is having with your business, you can enhance your mobile marketing strategy to drive more engagement and make more money.