Overview
In the digital realm, change is the only constant, and nowhere is this more evident than in the realm of mobile technology. The year 2017 marked a significant turning point in the way users interacted with their mobile devices, presenting businesses with both challenges and opportunities. As mobile devices became increasingly integrated into everyday life, user behaviour and expectations evolved, and so did the technologies that powered the mobile experience.
Last year, we repeatedly talked about how mobile devices were changing the world of marketing. As we enter 2017, this process will only continue. Therefore, we want to discuss some additional mobile predictions and trends for 2017 that will continue to have an important impact on digital marketing.
Join us on this transformative journey as we navigate the mobile changes of 2017. Whether you’re a business owner looking to adapt to the shifting mobile landscape or a marketer seeking to optimize your mobile strategies, our aim is to provide you with the knowledge and insights needed to thrive in the ever-evolving mobile world. Let’s embark on this exploration together and embrace the power of mobile technology to connect with your audience on the devices they love and rely on.
5 Mobile Predictions for 2017
1. Mobile Payments:
As mobile devices continue to dominate internet usage, it is becoming more and more popular to purchase items from a mobile device.
That is why many platforms have made this process extremely simple for users. For example, let’s say you want to buy a Cuisinart coffee maker. You do some research on the website, and then decide to go back later to make the purchase.
However, with retargeted ads, you see ads on Facebook for the same coffee maker. As you sit reading your news feed, Cuisinart uses their ad budget to get you back into the fold.
The great thing in 2017 is that you no longer have to click to another website to make a purchase. That is because Facebook and other social networks like Twitter and YouTube have begun integrating buy buttons and other ecommerce technology into their ad systems.
It makes sense for the social network and for you on many different levels. As a business, you want more customers to purchase your goods. Study after study has shown that the fewer steps a customer has to take to purchase a good, the more likely they are to buy your goods.
That is why 65% of the top ecommerce sites have less than 5 steps to make a purchase.
Social media platforms already have most of your pertinent information. By including mobile purchases, they make the process seamless and increase your sales.
At the same time, they achieve their objective of keeping your customers on their platform to show more ads to them.
This combination will increase in 2017 as more and more retailers see the power of leveraging the buy button directly on social networks.
2. Mobile pop-ups:
Google has started penalizing websites that use mobile pop-ups. Their mobile algorithm already reflects this, because they realize how inconvenient they are in regards to usability.
As Search Engine Land stated, if you want to get customers to sign up after sending them traffic from Google or Bing, you should look into using more text links and call-to-action prompts.
Prompts are less invasive than banners or pop-ups, but can still drive quality leads to your business.
This might not be the answer that some businesses want in regards to lead generation, but it is better than getting a mobile penalty because of the pop-ups.
3. Mobile-only social
When Instagram came along in 2010, it was an anomaly: a social network that only worked properly as an Apple app. Eventually, Instagram added an Android app and a website. However, the social network still is first and foremost a mobile social network.
Snapchat continued this trend, and Facebook has clearly joined this trend as well.
That is why it is very important to consider mobile devices in regards to social media. More and more consumers are using their mobile devices exclusively to access social media.
Capitalize on these mobile trends by creating unique content for each mobile social network. That means content on Snapchat should not be copied directly from Instagram.
By doing this, you can engage multiple audiences on multiple social networks.
4. Mobile Apps
Did you know that 72% of smartphone users check their mobile devices on an hourly basis? Even more incredible is that 90% of those users log on to mobile apps.
As the phrase made famous by Apple, “there’s an app for that”, becomes more and more of a reality, your customers will continue to see the value in having a mobile app for their own business.
Fortunately, software is available to help you create a basic mobile app for your company. If you want something more in-depth, then you will need a developer.
Let us know if you have any questions about setting up a mobile app. We are more than happy to help you create a quality strategy for your mobile app.
5. Mobile Video
From GoPro’s skating cats on Instagram to YouTube Live to Facebook Video Ads, we live in a world where video is easier to create than ever.
very smartphone is now more of an elaborate videography studio than a phone, so it only makes sense that our final mobile prediction for 2017 is about video.
Internet marketer Gary Vaynerchuk insists that 50% of all your content should be video. This is because it is such an important component of your marketing strategy. Now that mobile devices have high enough speeds to work with video, it is becoming a much better companion to mobile marketing.
Final Thoughts
Our mobile predictions for 2017 are based on the trends we have seen for the past year. However, 2017 will bring even more changes as new developments come to the fore.
If you are not sure you can keep up with all of the changes and effectively market your business, we invite you to have an initial complementary consultation with Shout. Our team is well-versed in the latest marketing changes in the industry. Feel free to contact us about the mobile predictions you need help with in 2017.
