The latest buzzword with regard to SEO marketing is customer intent. It is the time when a customer is no longer just browsing and displaying an interest. It is the time when they intend to buy. Speed is everything these days especially with the dominance of mobile search. Latest research from Forrester reveals that nearly 40% of all purchases made this year will be made via a mobile device especially a cell phone. The key for businesses now is to be able to pivot at a moments notice; to actually be there when the customer’s intent is to make the purchase.
- The SEO and marketing journey has been a long one from brand recognition advertising all the way to when the customer walks into your place of business or retail location. Around 25% of all current purchasing is being done via a cell phone and that number is only going to increase in the next year or two. The problem, again, is the pivot. Most small businesses are only spending around 10% of their marketing budget on mobile. When the customer is ready, who will be there? Your competitors?
- It seems to be a new matter of almost zero attention spans on today’s consumer’s, especially the under 40 years old demographic. What brands need to be doing is showing people how their product or service is crucial to their lives. Your social media marketing must morph into something they need to see every day or fear missing something. Social media is attached to them as most social media posts are done from a phone while they are in the middle of constant multi tasking.
- The research phase of their buying journey is the ideal time to offer some manner of discount or coupon especially if the customer is actually in your store and can’t seem to decide on which competing product to buy. Likewise, when a customer does purchase a product or service, that can’t be the end of it. It is no longer a matter of just a monetary transaction. This is time to develop and seal that relationship. Give them a special offer and incentive just because they are a customer. Too many companies are offering special ridiculous deals for first time customers and never even think to offer something to long time customers.
-Written by Kevin Sawyer