The 2017 mobile usage report from comScores shows that over 60% of users across the world spend more time browsing on mobile devices than desktops.
Which means that in order to engage this mobile audience, you need to consider how you target mobile users within your digital marketing strategy.
Mobile users have limited time, screen size and capabilities, yet they have far more opportunities to use their devices than desktop computers, such as when queuing, waiting for a friend at a restaurant or sitting on the bus. These mobile users are generally on the hunt for specific information, which means that brands must create seamless experiences for them by combining speed with functionality.
If you’re looking to get more from your content, here are 3 ways that will help you to engage mobile users:
Mobile websites
While people have long been using their mobiles to search and view websites, many businesses still haven’t created a responsive or separate mobile version of their desktop sites.
Mobile-friendly websites mean shorter bursts of content, captivating headlines, plenty of white space and images to break up content, plus bullet points and styling shifts to draw focus. Google have been rewarding mobile-friendly websites with higher rankings for a while. At the end of 2016, Google announced they are experimenting with mobile-first indexing where they will primarily use the mobile version of a website’s content to rank pages with their search results.
Benefits:
– It’s easier to create a well-designed mobile website than it is to develop an app
– You can gain more site visits – reports suggest that small business sites receive about 20% of their traffic from mobile devices
– A mobile site makes it easier for users to buy your products, and will therefore increase your sales, as shown by Etsy’s online marketplace.
In terms of design, it’s important that your mobile site doesn’t differ too greatly from your desktop site, as this may dilute your brand persona. Instead, use your mobile site to familiarise customers with a simple user experience that leads to more engagement, conversions and retention.
Apps
A more costly solution, a branded app provides features that may be unavailable on a mobile site, giving a better user experience by making everything simpler and quicker to open and use.
For optimal performance, apps must load in less than 2 seconds and be completely error-free, as app users who face issues are unlikely to return. Along with these two key points, easy onboarding processes for first-time users, customer control of notifications and ‘share-friendly’ features such as social icons are essential components to increased engagement from mobile users.
Benefits:
– Optimised for the various device sizes and specs of users
– Can be targeted to a dedicated market, especially when you have a specific goal that cannot be addressed via a website
– Users can access your content offline, like with Food Network’s In The Kitchen app, which allows users to convert measurements and access recipes without an internet connection.
While apps can be incredible tools for brand engagement, Moz argues that about 85 to 90% of time that mobile customers spend using apps is allocated to the top 25 to 50 charting apps. The time and effort required to build and design an app and retain loyal mobile users may not match your digital marketing objectives or budget.
Interactive magazines
The new-age alternative for hard-to-read PDF magazines and even standard company blogs, interactive magazines are a cost-effective way to engage your mobile audience.
Because users on mobile don’t read in the traditional F-shaped pattern of desktop users, you can distribute content across the screen. Without the layout constraints of a traditional CMS or blog post, brands tend to implement free and creative designs that focus on a strong, consistent brand image.
Benefits:
– Hosting the magazine on your existing domain ensures that every click via social media counts toward your website tracking metrics
– I-mags can be fully indexed by search engines, generating organic traffic and improved search visibility
– They can also be accessed offline by mobile users from any device
– They can seamlessly connect content with e-commerce and other pages to reduce bounce rates and improve conversions, like with these 11 stunning examples of interactive magazines
For another stunning example, take a look at Net-a-Porter’s fashion-focused magazine.
Interactive magazines can be used in multiple sectors for a variety of purposes, from company brochures and online newsletters to dynamic whitepapers and digital staff magazines. Interactive elements bring the user experience to life, responding to the needs of readers and leading to an average of more than 8 pages of reading per user, with a dwell time of 3.24 minutes and a 28% return visitor rate.
Captivating and engaging mobile users is increasingly important as the number of smartphone users is projected to reach 4.77 billion people worldwide by the end of 2017. Creating a fast and memorable user experience for these mobile users is essential to securing your spot in the marketplace and future-proofing your business.
We are a copywriting agency and can work with you to find out how mobile publishing can benefit your business, or for more information about how to make the most out of your mobile content strategy, get in touch today.