5 ways to increase mobile engagement and generate sales

We don’t need to tell you that ecommerce is big business. Latest reports suggest that 18% of all retail sales will be conducted online this year and that 62% of smartphone users have made a purchase on their smartphone in the past six months. Figures like these are growing year on year as consumers are becoming more confident in spending on their phones; so much so, that some analysts predict spending on smartphones will overtake desktop ecommerce by 2020.

Simply put, mobile ecommerce is too big to ignore. As a small or medium-sized business owner, you should be doing everything in your power to capture the attention of potential customers. In this article, we round up five simple and effective ways to help you generate more mobile sales.

Go mobile-first

The chances are that you’ve heard about Google’s plans to roll out a mobile-first search index, and after months of warnings and teasing, the search engine giant now looks at mobile versions of websites when deciding where they should rank for competitive terms. Sites that take too long to load or don’t offer good mobile user-experience will be ranked below sites that do, so it has never been more important to have a responsive, mobile-first website that offers great UX.

Aside from the SEO benefits of mobile-first websites, sites that were designed with smartphones in mind are more likely to increase conversions than sites that are clunky and hard to use. A 2016 report suggests 85% of customers are “unlikely to forgive” a bad mobile experience, so if your site doesn’t deliver a great first impression on mobile, you’ll lose customers to competitors.

Use remarketing through push notifications

Although there are benefits to desktop ecommerce, one of the reasons why mobile ecommerce is so attractive to businesses is that you can remarket your products and services through SMS messages and push notifications. It’s low-cost digital direct marketing that always performs well.

If you’re running a limited-time offer, for example, you can send out a push notification to users of your app and encourage them to buy from your ecommerce store. It’s well known that using urgency and fear of missing out (FOMO) within notifications can increase sales, so experiment with different techniques to see which proves most effective to your audience.

You could even encourage people to visit your physical store, using location-based tracking and incentivising in-store purchases by offering discount codes or a free cup of tea upon arrival.

Improve your checkout experience

Research shows that one of the primary reasons why people abandon their shopping carts when browsing ecommerce websites from their phones is that the checkout process can be awkward and time-consuming. Indeed, unlike desktop browsing, where you can easily type in your address, delivery information and credit card details, a smaller screen makes it tough to fill out forms – and it can turn people away from making a purchase. Luckily, there is a solution.

The best way to overcome abandoned shopping carts on mobile is to improve your checkout experience, making it as easy as possible for people to pay. Use trusted payment services like PayPal and Visa Checkout, or consider adding support for Apple Pay and Google Pay on your checkout page. These options are often one-click, and reduce the effort required to purchase.

Add calls to action

Calls to action should play a major role in your web design and conversion optimisation on the desktop – but they can be equally as effective on mobile. Add a call to action above the fold on your homepage and landing pages of your smartphone-optimised website, and ensure buttons are easily visible and easy to tap. Bright colours and repetition can also make calls to action stand out, so just as you would in your desktop design, use A/B testing to find the best set-up.

These calls to action can be extended across the web. Whether you want people to sign up to your mailing list for a discount code or buy your latest product, use the same messages and branding across social media and mobile ads to unify the experience and increase awareness.

Take your sales offline

A 2016 report from Deloitte suggests that digital interactions – like online advertising, videos and social media – influence 50% of all revenue generated in bricks and mortar businesses. What’s more, consumers are using their phones more than ever when they’re out and about, with high street brands like Next and Debenhams offering free WiFi to encourage people to stick around and let their friends become part of their shopping through Messenger, FaceTime and more.

As well as offering in-store WiFi and promoting your store on your website, on social media and through a mailing list, you should consider setting up a quick response code (QR) code for your products or develop an app that makes in-store shopping simpler and more convenient. If you invest in the right mobile marketing strategy, people will naturally flock to your store and spend.

To find out more about the app development and digital marketing services offered at Zudu, don’t hesitate to get in touch. Click here to drop us an email, or call +44 (0) 1382 690 080