The internet is changing rapidly as a result of the increase in smartphone and tablet ownership. Websites can no longer afford to resolutely target desktop users when a growing proportion of visitors will be browsing from portable devices.
This fact has been focalised through Google’s recent manoeuvres, the first of which had an impact on SEO and the battle for organically generated clicks.
There was a lot of hype surrounding the mobile-friendly algorithm update rolled out last month, although the reality of the matter seems to be less severe than some had anticipated.
Of course while organic SEO is important, there are still many businesses which rely on paid search ads to secure clicks and conversions. So the subsequent reports of Google’s intentions to add a ‘buy’ button to sponsored search results on mobile devices is set to cause even more of a shakeup in the market.
PPC is an innately viable form of internet marketing and one which businesses do not need to master on their own. Firms like elevate UK provide professional advice through London adwords consultant representatives, making it easier for clients to adapt to the emergence of a mobile-dominated search experience.
But what are some of the things Google is doing to help marketers make their ads more suitable for mobile consumption and are there any techniques to harness that will benefit businesses sooner rather than later?
Mobile Explosion
Google itself is well aware of how important mobile search is becoming, with recent figures from the firm showing that 93 per cent of consumers carry out research on products and services using their smartphone handsets before they commit to a purchase.
It is unsurprising that there was a 175 per cent increase in the number of shopping-related searches made via mobile devices over the past 12 months. But even Google has been taken by surprise by this to a degree, since it is only just getting round to tackling the mobile search boom.
Some of the features it has explicitly mentioned as being in development include automatic resizing of Display Network images so that they can fit onto the compact screens of smartphones without losing their impact.
Google is also committed to catering to certain industries with ad layouts that will make it easier for them to generate clicks from mobile devices, including the automotive and travel sectors.
Analytical Eye
Businesses pay for search ads and hoping to capitalise on the rise of mobile use must appreciate that it is tougher to track the research, decision making and purchasing process of consumers because of the multichannel nature of the experience.
90 per cent of casual searchers who are converted into paying customers do not begin and conclude this process on a single device, which makes the whole thing appear more fragmented and random unless you take a holistic view of analytical data.
Failing to rise to the challenge set by mobile search and PPC on portable platforms is not acceptable, so webmasters should seek expert assistance if necessary.