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How Consumers Use Smartphones: What Every Local Business Owner Needs to Know and Understand

by | Nov 25, 2011 | Mobile Phone Marketing, Small Business Marketing | 0 comments

How Consumers Use SmartphonesIf you are a local business owner, you need to pay attention to the mobile phone / smartphone revolution. Here’s why.

Google — the most-used search engine in the United States — recently interviewed 5,013 U.S. adults ages 18-64 to find out:

  • How consumers use smartphones in their daily lives
  • The kinds of information consumers search for using their smartphones
  • How smartphones influence buying decisions
  • How consumers multi-task with their smartphones
  • How consumers respond to mobile ads

Key Findings

Of special interest for small business owners, the report reveals that:

  • 81% of smartphone owners use their phones to browse the internet; and 77% access search engines (like Google) using their smartphones;
  • 89% use their smartphones to connect with others vie email and social networking sites;
  • 77% have contacted a local business after finding that business using their smartphones, and 44% have purchased from a local business as a result of information they found on their smartphones;
  • 88% acted within a day on information they found using their smartphones
  • 75% use their smartphones to get directions;
  • 46% visited retail websites using their smartphones;
  • 18% visited coupon websites using their smartphones;

What Does This Mean For You?

First, look up your own business on a smartphone, using keyword phrases like the products you sell combined with your location (i.e., insurance agency warrenton va, hair salon warrenton va).

Do you show up fast in search results? Are you happy with your search engine placement? (i.e., your position – ranking – in search engine results?

Does a “click to call” phone number show up for your business when you search for your business on a mobile phone?

Now, more than ever, you need to make your business findable via smartphone — and have a mobile-ready website in addition to your regular website (i.e., a streamlined website that is easy to navigate via mobile phone.)

What To Do Now

  • Claim your Google Places business profile. Make sure your Google Places page is optimized and complete. It’s easy to mess up your Google Places profile when you don’t know what you are doing. Email me or call (540) 937-7234 for expert help to make sure you do it right.
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  • Consider moving your website to the SmallBiz WordPress Theme — a specially-designed software package that includes a built-in mobile website builder. Email me or call (540) 937-7234 for more information about the Small Biz WordPress Theme and how it can help your business.
  • Consider getting a QR code and putting it on your business cards, brochures, print ads and other print marketing materials.

Read the Full Report

Click here to view or download Google’s full report about consumer smartphone behavior.