Have you prepared your search engine marketing campaign for 2012? Estimates range 10-15% of all searches comes from mobile devices. As the number of smart phone users increases on a daily basis, analyzing mobile traffic will be important for your SEM campaign. Start by understanding your market. Is my business right for mobile searches? Let’s take a look category trends for 2011.
The top 5 queries by mobile users show that restaurants make up the majority of these searches. Clearly restaurateurs will want to target this large number of mobile users. Knowing that your market has a strong hold in mobile searches is a good starting point. Next, understand the mobile user. Most phone or tablet searchers are probably on the go. They are looking for information as fast as possible. Design your SEM ad around the mobile user. Start by running two different SEM campaigns: one ad for desktop/laptop users and one for mobile devices. To target mobile users, be sure to include your phone number in your add. Most smart phones have the ability to select a number and call it directly. Coupons also make a great call to action.
So now you have identified that your market is strong enough for you to run a strictly mobile campaign, but where should you run it? This answer is simple. Google. Currently Google makes up 98% of all mobile device searches. In the last quarter, 37.04 million iPhones were sold which lifted the company’s smartphone market share up to 44.9%. Android fell from 50% to 44.8% of the market. With Google as the default browser for both iPhones and Androids, Google has a stranglehold on the market and they make up roughly 97% of all mobile advertising.
Next step, identify your keywords! Most likely the keywords for your mobile searches will be relatively similar to those of your non mobile ad. It is always good to investigate each term just to be sure that you are using the right terms. The Google Adword program offers a keyword tool analyzer that allows you to select between desktop/laptop devices and mobile devices. Check your current desktop device keywords against mobile devices, just to be sure they match up.
Now that we have chosen our keywords, designed a call to action ad and chosen Google as our search engine of choice, we have to monitor our campaign. The Google advertising section is small and therefore will be competitive. Currently Google Displays 4 ads on the first page: Two at the top and two at the bottom. While a desktop search has much more space for paid ads, the mobile section will have to be more closely monitored. Luckily Google Adwords has an alert system to let you know when your ad has slipped from top placement. Staying in the top two spots will be important for you search results/conversion rate.
Mobile users will become a highly targeted audience in 2012 so be sure to use your SEM advertising money appropriately. Know your market, target them with well-designed ads and reap the benefits of the growing mobile market. If you do not feel like your business is best for mobile advertising consider the following from Google: 79 percent of smartphone owners use their devices to compare prices, research products or services, and locate retailers.
– Matt Wilkos
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