Whether it’s by virtue of an Adwords campaign or effective SEO, we all know the power that comes with being ranked at the top of Google’s search results. But when it comes to mobile technology, has your company left barriers in the road to purchase that might be deterring potential customers?
A new survey of US smartphone users suggests that while search engines are king when it comes to locating a business, the mobile call plays a critical role in in the purchasing process.
Get Smart.
Smartphone users value being able to speak to businesses quickly and conveniently when they want to get information or to make a purchase. It’s like it is with kids: they want it and they want it RIGHT NOW. If they can’t connect with a business in one click, they’ll say, “Next!” and move on. Put simply: businesses and marketers who are, somehow, standing in the way of smartphone users’ access are losing money. The simple process of adding a phone number or “click to call” button to your ads could yield rich results for your business.
Lets take a look at the key findings from the survey:
- 70% of mobile users have used click-to-call to connect directly from the search engine results page.
- 61% of respondents said that it’s the purchase phase of the shopping process when click-to-call is most important.
- 47% said that if a business doesn’t have a phone number associated with it they will be more likely to go elsewhere.
- Adding a phone number to mobile search results increases your click through rate by 8% on average.
So what are the main reasons respondents gave for calling a business from their smartphone?
And what’s the result likely to be if they can’t easily find your number?
The evidence seems to point toward the importance of the call in the sales process and the frustration users feel when they can’t connect easily. Consumers want their questions answered quickly and efficiently, especially when they are on the move and the businesses that facilitate that need are likely to connect with these buyers. When 47% of people say they’ll immediately go elsewhere if they can’t easily reach you, making that process easy seems like a pretty good idea, doesn’t it? By adding some simple information to your ads, you could be capturing a whole new group of buyers.
Some types of business will, of course, benefit more from the ability to initiate a call from search than others will. That’s reflected in the vertical analysis that the survey provides.
The results of this survey make a strong argument for all business types to consider click to call. If you’re not, you’re turning your back on the things of which marketers’ dreams are made: people who are calling you to buy your stuff. Making it easier for them to get to you seems prudent.
You can find full details of the survey at Google Think Insights and you can find out more about adding the click to call extension at Google Ads.
What’s your take on this subject? Have you tried adding click to call and if so does your experience match the results of the survey? I would love to hear your feedback.
Photo Credit: Tim Haden
Smartphone Users Ready to Buy: Are You Letting Them is a post from: V3 Kansas City Integrated Marketing and Social Media Agency
