NEW YORK, Dec. 02, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As 2017 quickly approaches, it is an important time for small business owners to start looking to the year ahead. In order for many small businesses to compete in today’s ever-changing world, it’s wise to stay updated on trends that can set your business apart from the competition.
Today’s consumers are constantly on-the-go, accessing the internet via smartphones and tablets at a much higher rate than that of traditional laptop or desktop access. Simply being “mobile-friendly” may leave your small business behind. With an estimated 292.8 million cell phone users in the United States alone, the potential growth and revenue for your small business far outweighs the amount of working capital needed to effectively implement mobile marketing in 2017.
Here are four mobile marketing musts that your small business should be using for 2017:
Mobile Payments
In a fast paced society, today’s consumers have quickly adapted in a number of ways. Proof of this is in how comfortable a large number of today’s consumers feel in using mobile payment options. Many are choosing their smartphones and tablets to compare prices, read reviews and make purchases.
According to the Global Mobile Money report, 66% of mobile users have carried out some form of mobile transaction. It is predicted that by the year 2025, an estimated 75% of all transactions will be made without cash. Making sure that your small business can accept mobile payments is a MUST for growth in the New Year.
Consumers obviously understand and enjoy the benefits of mobile payments, but a major challenge for many mobile payment providers has been user convenience. It’s a proven fact that when a customer is happy, your conversion rate will increase. Keep in mind that inputting payment information on a small screen isn’t exactly the easiest thing, so businesses that provide perfectly designed and mobile-friendly solutions will be the most successful. It is also important to remember that as a business accepting online payments, providing seamless, quick and safe mobile payments is essential to your overall mobile success.
Mobile Search
According to SimilarWeb’s State of Mobile Web, roughly 56% of consumer traffic to U.S. websites is now from mobile devices. This makes it that much more vital to the success of your small business for 2017 to ensure that you are visible via mobile search.
Make sure that your small business website is responsive; meaning that it automatically adjusts to the device that it is being viewed on. Not only will you lower the risk of losing customers over poor functionality, but you will also help your small business’ website rank with Google.
After ensuring that your website is responsive, the next step is identifying key mobile word searches for your industry and determining whether or not your website content is optimized for mobile keywords. So how do you figure out which terms are best for your small business? A great place to start is with Google. The company’s Keyword Planner and Analytics tools have a number of great options to assist you in both choosing keywords and monitoring the results.
Small businesses that rely more directly on local business should keep in mind that consumers are not only increasingly searching on their mobile devices, but searches that include a location component within today’s cutting-edge mobile technology has also changed the way that they search. Including keywords that include “nearby” or “near me”, as well as place indicators (town, address, etc.), give local small businesses an advantage in this department.
Mobile-Only Social
Most small businesses utilize the major social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest. Mobile-only social apps such as Periscope, Snapchat, Instagram and others are steadily increasing in popularity. Small business owners should definitely include a plan to utilize the mobile-only social app trend within their 2017 plan for success.
In order to successfully engage the mobile consumer with these social apps, remember to monitor your social channels and tailor your message accordingly. Give your audience a reason to follow you on different platforms. Don’t post the same content at the same time across all platforms. This is a quick way to lose subscribers and create “message fatigue”. Create “like-worthy” content by connecting with your followers and posting in-the-moment pics and videos that are a reflection of your brand and attitude.
Mobile Apps
Mobile users spend 86% of their time on mobile apps, and only 14% on the mobile versions of websites. With 72% of Americans checking their phones at least once per hour with 90% on apps, businesses with an online presence should consider adding a mobile app to their arsenal for success.
Studies have shown that apps increase consumer engagement and provide your business with much needed customer data and, in turn, increases the ways that you effectively connect with your growing customer base. Mobile app design doesn’t have to break the bank. It can be done inexpensively and has proven to benefit even the smallest companies by growing brand awareness and increasing revenue.
You should ask for essentials only when designing an app for your business. The recipe for success with a mobile app is making the checkout process as simple as possible. In this case, simplicity equals success, so no redirections, misleading links, distractions or buttons. Consumers prefer a user-friendly design with bigger input fields and without any needless element. Immediacy is also a key factor in mobile purchasing. The mobile consumer wants to pay with a tap. This means purchasing should be reduced to one action.
Need Funding?
Marketing trends come and go, but in order to properly capitalize on growth, you must stay current. Mobile will continue to be entrenched within the business world, so be sure that your business is well-supported. 800fund.com understands that working capital is a necessity for growth and success. For this reason, the company furthers its commitment to support and service their small to medium-sized business clientele while powering local economic growth by way of providing alternative lending solutions to traditional banking.
After over a decade of finding ways to approve business owners that have long faced the struggles of securing funding through banks and other lenders, 800fund.com prides itself in its “1 to 1” program that starts at just $1,000 and advances up to $1 million with working capital repayment terms from 30 days to 24 months. In addition to this specially designed program, 800fund.com simplifies and expedites a traditionally lengthy process with swift decisions and same- or next-day financing in order to meet the needs of today’s small to medium-sized businesses.
For business owners interested in the program, they can visit www.800fund.com or call (212)865-3863.
Facebook Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Instagram Pinterest Why 800Fund
About 800fund.com:
800fund is a leading merchant cash advance and short-term alternative lender to small- and medium-sized businesses. It is headquartered at 30 Broad Street, New York, NY.