I clearly remember the day when I discovered I could use my SmartPhone to locate a gas station, eliminating the need to circle the block and look for one. Then I learned I could do that for most anything I wanted when on the road or wandering by foot…a latte, an ice cream, a spring roll, a burrito, etc. (I love to eat.)
Funny thing about the smart phone is that the more I use it, the more I want to use it. I use more and more of my spare minutes to search for info or a product or service I might need for myself or my household.
Statistics show I’m not alone in this. We are in the mists of huge smart phone love affair that intensifies with each passing month!
Currently, more than 46% of Local Searches are on a mobile phone vs. a desktop (BIA/Kelsey, 2012)
Statistics show that of those Local Mobile Searches, more will result in a sale then desktop searches.
- 70% of all mobile searches result in action within 1 hour. 70% of online searches result in action in one month. (Mobile Marketer, 2012)
- 9 out of 10 mobile searches lead to action, over half leading to purchase. (Search Engine Land, 2012)
- 61% of local searches on a mobile phone result in a phone call. (Google, 2012)
- 52% of all mobile ads result in a phone call. (xAd, 2012)
These Stats Make the Conclusion Clear — Businesses Need a Mobile Website
For local businesses, it’s essential that you set up a mobile version of your site post-haste as you can expect nearly half of the site searches to come from a mobile site. This is especially true for restaurants, bars and other entertainment and travel-related businesses.
However, it’s also true for all kinds of consumer services…do you think people are looking for plumbers, electricians, summer camps etc., acupuncturists on their phones? It is also the case for professional services and B-to-B sercives.
You don’t have to take my word for it.
If you use Google Analytics you can see how many of the searches your site gets are from a mobile phone. It’ll even tell you on what kind of phone, iphone vs. Android etc.
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Karen Nierlich is an SEO Web Design Consultant with Full Orbit Web and Marketing. She is committed to consulting with small and medium businesses and helping them to thrive online. If you have questions about setting up a mobile website, talk to her at 510-527-9920.