Businesses, both large and small, are using search engine marketing to some degree, whether it be in paying for ads through Google’s AdWords network or working on optimizing a website for search to rank for relevant keywords. However, very few of our clients have focused on mobile search in their search marketing efforts.
In laymen’s terms, mobile search is the ability to use a search engine on your mobile phone. For those with data plans through their cellular company, I’m certain you use these features on a weekly, if not daily basis as well as phone “apps” and other utilities. Search engines like Google and Yahoo! have created mobile optimized versions of their search engines so it’s easier to access data from your phone. According to Marketing Pilgrim, by 2013, mobile search will account for $2.3 billion in advertising spending by businesses.
The big question is how does this affect you as a small business owner? In mobile search, over half of those $2.3 billion in 2013 will be spent on local-optimized search, meaning, businesses targeting their local communities. As more users adopt cell phones as their primary communication device, those users will use their phones more and more often, driving traffic to search engines and to your business website that could mean more revenue for your company. So, optimizing not only for search engines but for mobile web browsers as well could mean additional success for your business now and in the future.
Just last week, it was announced that Microsoft was in talks with Apple to have Bing replace Google as the default search engine on the iPhone. While this may not have that much impact on you directly, many marketers online and off are saying that this is Apple’s first direct attack on Google’s market share and that with this announcement, there is rumor that Apple could be in the process of developing its own mobile search engine. If so, and if the mobile search industry continues to grow as rapidly as we expect, this could mean one more search engine that SEO firms and marketers will need to prepare for.
We see this announcement as just another reason why our clients and potential clients should simply consider their plan for mobile. There is definitive opportunity in mobile search, mobile applications and even just a mobile version of your website for almost every business. Just make sure to include in your future marketing plans.
For more information on this and other interactive marketing opportunities, feel free to contact us.
This is a great article. I do not think that many people consider mobile search within the realm of interactive marketing efforts. I know of many firms that involve mobile marketing, but mobile search is certainly a new realm. It will be crucial for businesses to make sure that they have websites that are accessible to the various mobile platforms, which will require additional knowledge and expertise beyond regular interactive marketing. There is a lot for each business to consider as mobile will definitely be something to target in the near future. Thanks for a great post.
Mobile website design is quickly becoming the next big thing.