Thursday, October 31, 2013

Guidelines to improve Mobile Search communication


Mobile search is becoming more and more important for companies of all shapes and sizes. According to the newest quarterly report from RKG, more than a quarter of organic and paid search traffic went through smartphones and tablets in the second quarter of this year. And this isn’t just limited to domestic markets. In China and India, mobile has already overtaken static search, import that any marketers wishing to target those nations would do well to keep mobile in mind.

Mobile Mistakes

Google recently announced changes in its algorithms that would successfully punish sites that were not optimized for mobile. Some common mistakes they listed include unplayable videos, faulty redirects, URLs that show as an error page to smartphone users, irrelevant cross-linking, and slow page loading speeds. Wherever your markets are, it’s clearly significant to make your content visible and available to mobile users. 

But the procedure doesn’t end there. Once users find your mobile optimized site, they also need to be able to navigate it quickly and easily. Microsoft has reported that 70% of PC ‘query chains’ are finished in about a week. This means users often search, bookmark, and return to the site before implementation a task. In contrast, 70% of mobile searchers complete their task in about one hour. Mobile users tend to be more focused and are often looking for information, goods, or services that they need right now.

Make it Easier to Search

One way to ensure users can find the information they need without leaving your site is by having a high quality site search. Mobile users do not want to browse through huge product displays or be forced to navigate through numerous pages until they find what they want. Site search allows them to access the relevant products or pages quickly. Site search users also tend to convert at a higher rate, so it’s necessary for companies to strengthen their mobile website search and maximize the website’s performance.
Here are a few tips for a more effective site search:

Use a famous Search Box

Don’t make them look for it!  If they want to use site search then it makes sense to ensure that the search box is one of the first belongings they see. Display it prominently at the top of the homepage and other important pages and make sure it’s clearly labeled.

Use Auto Complete

Auto Complete suggests terms when visitors type the first letters of a keyword, making it easier for users to find what they are looking for. You might also consider an Auto Suggest feature, which suggests choice items based on products the user already viewed. The Deb Shops chain reported a 20 per cent increase in adds to cart for users exploring with a ‘More Like This…’ feature.

Use Infinite Scrolling

Infinite scrolling of search results is another way to decrease typing, clicking, and waiting for new pages to load. When visitors get near the end of the page of search results, more results are loaded robotically. This may seem like a small feature, but it makes your site more user friendly.

Provide Localized Information    
          
Many mobile search tasks are localized in nature, meaning users are looking for goods or services applicable to their current location. This can be provided using the mobile device’s GPS tracking facilities.

Display your Promotions

When visitors search for a brand name or product that is on sale, include a keyword-driven banner at the top of the search results to highlight that promotion. You get to push your promotion and the visitor could get a great deal!

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