"Mobile Search Marketing" - As many studies have shown mobile searches are more immediate than typical online searches. From a computer or laptop, consumers are querying search engines to research products and services. From mobile handsets and smartphones, consumers are querying to make a purchase, find a store or obtain coupon offers for immediate use. This means marketers must be ready to engage mobile consumers immediately.
"The practice is tried and true - paying for placement - in-store, online, and now on the mobile web - work, because premium positions affect the decision-making process," said John Federman, president and CEO, Searchandise Commerce.
Here is how the platform works: a consumer creates a mobile search query for a product. Ads or product placements are then presented to the consumer without disrupting their experience. Because the customer has searched for the product there is a greater chance for a conversion.
A recent Motorola survey found that more than half of consumers used mobiles to help in making purchase decisions over the 2009 holiday season. This goes to show just how important mobiles are becoming to consumers; giving brands and merchants better access to these consumers while they are still in-market could go a long way toward boosting retail spending over the next year.
What are consumers searching for when using mobiles? A Deloitte LLC study prior to the 2009 holidays revealed that consumers use mobiles to find store locations (55%), research prices (45%) and find product information (40%). Consumers are also searching for coupons (32%) and reading reviews (31%) via mobiles.