Over the years, mobile technology has revolutionized the way we communicate, handle and exchange information, and consume online content. While it used to be that personal computers were the primary tool people used to access the web, browse websites, and buy products, nowadays we are witnessing a shift in the trend – customers are increasingly using their mobile devices to complete all tasks in their personal and professional lives.
What this means is that brands need to adopt mobile technology into their processes and optimize their digital presence to appeal to the smartphone generation. From leveraging mobile web pages, to optimizing the checkout process, all the way to creating mobile-centric content and analyzing the customer’s online activity, there are many ways you can capitalize on the mobile trends. So today, we’re looking at the most important ways that mobile devices are changing customer behavior, and what that means for your business.
The convenience factor
By and large, mobile phones are more convenient to use than traditional PCs or laptops, as the customer can take their phone with them everywhere they go, and access all of the online content that they would normally access on a computer. This is the convenience factor, and it’s one of the most important factors that shape customer behavior, and one of the key reasons why mobile browsing is surpassing desktop usage around the world. In fact, mobile is yet to reach its true potential in the years to come, and as companies integrate innovative mobile-friendly solutions to improve CX and UX.
Now that customers are more attached to their phones than ever before, brands have the opportunity to capitalize on the convenience factor by analyzing the features of mobile browsing that customers love, and more importantly, the ones that need some improvement. When you discover the unique pain points of your mobile customers, you have the opportunity to innovative solutions and inspire them to keep coming back to your site because it offers the convenience they need and want.
The rise of Mcommerce
Ecommerce is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world, and even though the majority of online purchases are still conducted via the PC and laptop platforms, there is no denying that people are increasingly buying products with their smartphones. There are many key factors that influence this trend, some of which have to do with the increasingly refined mobile technology, and others with the fact that online stores are quickly optimizing their digital presence and simplifying the shopping process to make mobile shopping a breeze.
It used to be notoriously difficult to browse online stores and purchase a product via a mobile device because the checkout process was devised for PCs and laptops, which prompted the forward-looking companies to quickly optimize the experience for mobile, and motivate potential customers to buy instead of waiting to get home and finish the purchase on their computer. After all, the moment a customer leaves your site, there is no guarantee that they will even come back.
Always connected to the web
It should go without saying that we depend on the web to make almost every decision in our personal and professional realms. Whether you are getting ready for work in the morning and checking the weather forecast on your phone, or if you’re researching something important for work, or if you’re reading your favorite news portal, chances are that you are connected to the internet all day long. And so are your customers.
Now that customers are increasingly choosing mobile phones with great data plans to stay connected to the web on a 24/7 basis, you have the opportunity to reach them throughout the day when they are most active, and stay off their radar when they are idle. Leveraging your analytics tools to collect and collate mobile browsing statistics on your site will allow you to tailor your marketing strategy and communicate with your customers when they are most likely to convert.
Combining mobile with other merchant channels
Even though mobile is becoming the predominant platform that people around the world are using to browse the web, consume content, and buy products, that doesn’t mean that they are not using other channels to achieve their goals.
Nowadays, customers are looking to enjoy an integrated shopping experience, meaning that they might choose to buy via their smartphone, or research via phone and buy via PC, or even research via phone only to head over to a physical store to complete the purchase. There are multiple merchant channels at play here, and the more of those channels that you open up for your customers, the higher the chances that you will make a sale.
Consuming online content via smartphones
Lastly, always remember that the modern customer is increasingly consuming online content on the go. Whether they are reading an article while commuting to work or listening to a podcast while jogging at the park, people are using their smartphones to stay in the know at all times.
This is your opportunity to build up your brand’s relevance and authority by optimizing your site for seamless mobile browsing using AMPs (Accelerated Mobile Pages) to help Google prioritize your website. Combined with higher ranking and mobile-friendly content, you will build a stellar online presence that the mobile audience will love.
Customer behavior is always changing and evolving with the latest technological trends, which is happening right now with the smartphone revolution. Don’t miss your chance to leverage mobile to develop your competitive advantage and appeal to the mobile generation.
