02 Mar How to Break Into Mobile Without Breaking the Bank

How do you, as a small business owner cut through all the noise and reach today’s “always connected” customer?

You don’t have to pay top dollar for the latest and greatest bells and whistles to go mobile. Here are a few ways to get started:

Make sure you’re findable. It’s a bit labor-intensive, but well worth it to “claim” your business and its location on sites such as Yelp, Yahoo Local, Facebook, Google Places, and even Foursquare. This costs no more than your time.

Optimize your website for mobile viewing. Mobile searches have grown 400 percent since 2010, according to Google.  Once they find you on their phone, consumers visit (59 percent) or call (61 percent).

If your website was created more than a few years ago, or was built with Flash or other outdated plugins, your site is at risk for being invisible to mobile searches.

If you’re confused by all the options available, Idea can help your site go mobile!

Take your social “pulse”. Sites like Kudzu, Angie’s List, Google, and dozens more are letting your customers review you (often without your knowledge). In fact over 80 percent of consumers say they read reviews before making a purchase? Any negative reviews or poor feedback about you can affect your customers’ purchasing decision. You can use Google Alerts to see what’s being said about you on a regular basis. Like GI Joe said, “Knowing is half the battle”!

Customers aren’t just browsing the mobile web anymore. They’re researching products, sharing opinions, and completing transactions. Don’t let your fear of breaking the bank stop you from getting your business on the mobile web.