If you stumbled across this article online there’s a good chance you are reading it on a mobile device. And just like you, millions of people worldwide are engaging with content on the web at their leisure on a daily basis through IOS or Android. In fact, people are known to spend up to 5.5 hours of every day on their mobile devices. Mobile content consumption is now such an accepted behavioral trait that it simply cannot be ignored as one of the main drivers for nurturing customers to they key touchpoints within your online business ecosystem.
If you are thinking of expanding your current digital roadmap to include mobile as a core acquisition channel, or are actively testing and reporting on existing mobile engagement tactics then the following trends may inspire your next steps to continue to grow in 2020.
1. Domination of mobile video
Google is making a hard play for YouTube as one of our social media staples to capture the lion share of video consumption on mobile. After all, nearly 40% of YouTube video views are via mobile. This sets a precedent for how video is quickly becoming the preferred mode of content distribution not only for brands but by the general public also, particularly those who are attempting to grow a personal brand online and earn a living off of collaborating with brands.
Because video is such a fierce mobile traffic driver, businesses can utilize video to be more personal and transparent thus building a stronger rapport with their audiences. Fully automated environments within Instagram and Facebook whereby video messaging serves as the top sales funnel entry point should not be ignored as cost-efficient ways to test out video content marketing strategies.
2. Pop-up penalization
This is officially the era of ad-overload. Launching pop-ups was once commended as a means for ushering customers through to the sales funnel seamlessly however, in recent years as mobile growth has spurted those same tactics have become out-dated and invasive. Google now frowns upon showing a popup before users can glean value from the web page or app they land upon., Brands who fail to recognize these trends run the very strong risk of a slap on the wrist from Google, which in e-commerce terms can equate to an SEO penalty. The risk is even greater for mobile websites, in the wake of Google’s mobile-first indexing guidelines.
Rather than interrupt the user’s journey, ad pop-ups should now pay heed to best practice for the most relevant and convenient moments when they can be presented to the user.
3. SEO mobile search listings
Gone are the days when 10 organic results would appear like clockwork for any given search query. Google invested a significant amount of time in 2019 testing a restructure of SERPs of up to 14 ads in a single mobile search results page. It’s a generous amount of real estate to reallocate to paid ads no matter how you look at it. What we are likely witnessing is Google experimenting with how ads using keywords with higher buyer intent are faring when placed in greater view of the consumer. A multitude of testing variants has been rolled out for different industries over the last six months.
This spells good news for brands heavily leaning towards PPC but not such a great forecast for businesses that depend on
4. Mobile app burnout
The market is oversaturated with apps and that’s a fact brand must contend with if they are to compete in this space. Apps are relevant but often ignored; the average smartphone user downloads approximately 25-40 apps for keeps but is prone to using only a handful of those on a regular basis. It’s fair to agree that a serious case of mobile app burnout is just around the corner. If so, it bodes the question as to whether your brand should invest a huge amount of time, resources and capital into developing an app when it can be better spent elsewhere, such as Facebook or Instagram marketing. If you do continue down this path be wise to offering a pragmatic reward or incentive to users who download your app in order to reap the benefits through your online business.
Social media a great way for businesses to reach consumers through mobile and learn of their buying habits to refine tactics for growth time and time again. It is estimated that two-thirds of smartphone and tablet owners connect with their social network accounts from mobile devices, with Facebook being the top smartphone app accessed. If you are not leveraging social media in 2020, namely emerging platforms like TikTok you are simply alienating a potentially large chunk of your audience.
The app formally known as Musical.ly was acquired by the Beijing-based internet company ByteDance but morphed quickly into a virtual realm for sharing content. Few brands have managed to penetrate the social media site with unbridled success as yet however this may change in early 2020.
6. Security compliance
Whilst the majority of trends carry a silver lining for marketers there are those that require some general housekeeping as a matter of damage limitation. A case in point is maintaining a secure website – not only for mobile users – to help shut out the risk of activities that fly in the face of a positive online experience. We all may know someone who has had their identity stolen after shopping online or become a victim of online fraud and these are two examples of murky tactics that remain a constant threat.
A recent survey indicated that roughly two-thirds of consumers are too nervous to shop on their mobile device in fear of being hacked. Another report highlighted that over half of the online shoppers refuse to use a mobile app due to security concerns. And 58% won’t use an app out of fear of compromised privacy.
If you have an online store it’s your duty to install rigorous security systems and reassure your customer base measures have been taken to care for their online security.
