There are currently about two billion smartphone users on the planet. These users check their tiny screens anywhere from 100 to 150 times each day. Smartphones aren’t the only mobile devices on the tech horizon, either. We’ve got to consider tablets and wearables, too. With this in mind, it’s clear that the impact of mobile on content definitely changes the ways we plan, create and distribute information.
First of all, mobile use changes how your customers find you. It changes the paths users take to discover content. It used to be that your homepage was the main point of entry for potential leads. However, discoverability is now largely driven by social media and search engines, which makes your social media connections, mobile optimization and location-aware services key.
Second, mobile changes how people consume content. More and more people are accessing content on mobile devices. They’re looking at the same content on multiple kinds of devices. And they’re using mobile content in tandem with physical experiences, which means mobile isn’t an endpoint. In truth, it needs to be part of a seamless omnichannel experience that merges the physical and digital selling worlds, giving you more opportunity to create connections with your customers.
For example, according to retail marketing firm inReality’s 2015 Reality of Retail Report, 75% of store shoppers use their mobile devices in stores. Retailers can take advantage of this user behavior by combining the best of the digital experience with the best of the brick-and-mortar experience. They might create how-to videos and product information, including comparison tools, available via mobile sites and mobile apps to make the information users want available at their fingertips. Beacons could play a role as well. Mobile content has the capacity to build relationships with in-store customers even when retailers are unable to have enough salespeople on the floor.
Since customers use content differently on mobile devices, mobile marketers must shape content to those uses. What really matters is user experience. Readers don’t want to pinch, scroll or strain their eyes to view your content. You have less room, so you need to be more succinct. Focus on information your users need to help them make that next click or tap decision. Put the most important info in the first sentence or two. Craft your content around main points that are easy to scan for users who don’t want to read the entire page.
If you’re using responsive design, remember that your customers could be reading your content on a desktop, tablet or smartphone. If you have a separate site for mobile, you have a little more leeway to create mobile-focused content.
Mobile content also needs to teach users how to engage with you on newer mobile channels. According to ExactTarget’s 2014 Mobile Behavior Report, twenty-eight percent of surveyed consumers said they didn’t know how to scan a QR code or use a print-to-smartphone coupon or they didn’t have the app to do so. Customers may need assistance setting up and using the newer mobile technologies you offer, and it’s your job to provide that instruction.
Mobile marketing requires us to be adaptable and forward thinking, keeping our eye on the golden ring: user experience. What future trends do you see making the biggest impact on your content marketing strategy? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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