How is mobile changing consumers’ expectations?
Consumers are highly mobile, with a forecasted 70% of world population owning a smartphone by 2020. In the US, adults spend almost 70 hours a month on their mobile. Furthermore, around half of adult population in the US use a tablet.
This is where there should be a shift on mobile mindset — it’s a fundamental change in the way consumers are thinking. Forrester’s definition of this mobile mind shift is:
The expectation that I can get what I want in my immediate context and moments of need.
This is where the Google definition of Micro Moments relates to as well. A mobile moment is a point in time and space when someone pulls out a mobile device to get what they want in that immediate and specific context.
This creates an actual gap between what consumers expect and what businesses and shops are actually delivering.
The opportunity is huge; it can help drive:
- traffic
- proximity marketing strategies
- real-time and dynamic retail
- in-store piloted behaviours
- insights
An increasing number (around 70% in the US) of smartphone owners say they search shops, goods and services at least weekly or more, a number that exponentially increases when looking at younger users.
An astounding 80% of local shopping searches via mobile convert
What information adds more value to the customer? More than half want to:
- take a look at reviews,
- see the opening hours,
- ratings,
- address and directions.
What does this shift mean for marketers?
To bridge that gap between consumers expectations and what brands provide, businesses should make sure they’re connecting the most recent and accurate business-related information. This includes search engine results, Apps and maps listings, and any other listings across the local search ecosystem.
Three major points should be considered:
- What do target consumers look for exactly?
- How do customers find the shop?
- What should the business offer to users? Identify an optimal offer based on user intent and behaviours (click here to find out more).
Marketers can also use locations to trigger push notifications or ads, which helps solve an immediate purchasing need for consumers. This strategy can be implemented via Beacon Technology and/or GPS.
How can you deliver on consumers’ expectations?
Mobile plays a large role brand loyalty, as it has accelerated consumers’ expectations on brands’ offerings. Smart marketers should not only focus on location, but the whole customer journey, from the search phase to the after sale service, in an omni-channel perspective.
This is the end of the post. Please feel free to leave a comment in the comment section below if you have any question or feedback. Also, don’t forget to take a look at this page for more info on the latest mobile innovations and technologies.
