Mobile search is a daily habit for most consumers and a key point of influence for marketers who want to engage and shape shopping decisions.
With 87% of consumers relying on mobile devices to conduct searches at least once a day, mobile search should be a key part of any SEM strategy, according to ‘The Point of Influence: Understanding the Shopping Habits of Mobile Consumers,” a new study from Yahoo.
The study tracked 544 Yahoo visitors, analyzing their search activities for two weeks and partnering with Vision Critical to collect relevant and follow up data on more than 6,300 searches.
While its no surprise that most smartphone or tablet users use a search engine daily, the study delved deeper, to find out the context, including where searchers were, what motivated them to search and what they did next.
These insights put marketers in a stronger position to identify the point of influence for shopping decisions and measure the effectiveness of their campaigns.
Mobile searches occur everywhere, even locations, such as home or work, where a PC was likely available. While searches themselves cover a variety of categories, results emphasize that mobile search is an integral part of the shopping experience and often the starting point for a multi-step journey to making a purchase.
- 50% of shopping-related queries resulted in a purchase
- 76% of searchers made their purchase in person
- 24% make purchases on their mobile device weekly
- 68% say mobile search helps them make better buying decisions
- 56% say mobile search has introduced them to new brands
- 46% say even when they think they know what they’re looking for, sponsored listing sometimes remind them of brands to consider while shopping.
With that in mind, marketers need to ensure consumers are exposed to brand messaging as they move through the path of purchase. Final purchases are not locked down and there are plenty of opportunities to win over consumers. Here’s how:
- Be everywhere: Many mobile searchers are looking at content or reading news around the same time as conducting a search.
- Pay attention to result placement: 69% of searchers select a listing that is first or second in the search results page, while 95% of smartphone clicks happen in the mainline.
- Ensure key word coverage along the purchase path: This is the tried and true way to increase engagement. Simple routine checks and adjustments can make a big impact.
- Create ad copy that resonates: Make sure brand names feature in ad copy, as well as the actual phrase ‘brands’. As well, use superlatives, particularly when referring to variety, selection and price point. Include the price in the description: Bonus points for getting it in the title.
- Leverage mobile-friendly ad extensions (the more the better). In Yahoo Gemini, each ad can display up to four sitelinks—use them all for, on average, a 20% higher click rate. Call extensions are vital—consumers who make a call are 10X more likely to make a purchase. Combine ad extensions to dominate the small screen.
- Add Native Ads: This creates a virtual cycle with ads appearing in various placements across Yahoo’s properties: Brand awareness is 3X higher among consumers exposed to both mobile search and in-stream ads.
For more insight into how mobile searchers’ shopping habits can help fine tune your SEM campaigns to do bigger business on smaller screens, visit https://advertising.yahoo.com/Insights/POINT-OF-INFLUENCE.html. Contact a Yahoo account representative for innovative solutions to reach and engage with consumers using Yahoo Bing and Yahoo Gemini Networks.
