The consumer’s transformation to mobile is a reality. The time where mobile internet usage surpasses the desktop is nearing its tipping point. It is the way the internet of everything is going. Therefore your mobile presence must evolve, and as doctors like to say…STAT!
AND if that is not enough to get your engines started (pun intended)… April 21st marked “Mobilegeddon” – as Google’s new update has been frequently called since the search giant officially decided to consider mobile-friendliness as key ranking factors in its search engine.
Unlike their retail or B2C counterparts, B2B businesses are rarely trying to get the consumer to generate a purchase transaction directly through their website. The majority of B2B companies are still focusing on using the web to inform, educate and inspire potential buyers to engage with their companies and move them through the various stages of the buyer’s journey. It’s time, B2B’s must consider their mobile presence. As a starting point B2B’s should be considering the following 3 things:
Responsive Company Website: First and foremost does your company’s mobile web experience create the right first impression? Consumers want mobile sites to load fast and provide large easy to read navigation. Slow loading sites turn consumers away and if they can’t quickly find what they are looking for they will exit (hopefully not to a competitor). This means not just mobile, but really a responsive web design that takes into account the wide array of mobile devices from phones to tablets so the experience is consistent from device to device.
Articles and Content: B2B’s are now using more and more content to help buyers engage with their brand. From the blog to your downloadable whitepapers and infographics, mobile users are looking to be able to read and learn about your business on screens that may only be 3 or 4 inches in size (not everyone has adopted the iPhone 6+ or the Samsung Note). If the visitor finds your content quickly but it isn’t in a responsive format then chances are they won’t read it, which means another missed opportunity to move a potential buyer forward with your brand. Down the line brands will need to follow the shift that B2C’s and Media companies are making by integrating with mobile apps that serve as brand content and customer experience hubs.
Social Friendly: In an online world where we don’t only consume content, but share the best and most insightful findings of our day on social media sites, does your mobile site make social sharing and engagement easy? I still find that on many desktop B2B sites that social sharing is too cumbersome for most to take action. On mobile, we are even less likely to take extra steps to bookmark and share content later. Make sure to consider mobile plugins for your theme or custom site so that sharing can be made simple and easy for visitors who find your content interesting and compelling.
A mobile presence needs to be part of your marketing (and overall business) strategy sooner than later. Bottom line is this, B2B businesses need to learn from their B2C counterparts. They can no longer hope for their buyers to interact with them only via a desktop PC or laptop browser AND OMG Mobilegeddon… where will they find you?