Use paid search to target mobile shoppers

By Heather Blessington

Quick question: Would you rather lose your smartphone or your wallet?

According to a recent survey from the experts at www.pcworld.com, a staggering 40 percent of respondents would rather lose their wallet — not too surprising when you consider consumers spend more than 15 hours per week on mobile research, according to the Google/Nielson Mobile Path to Purchase study conducted in November 2013.

Time to use smartphones to your advantage! Mobile now accounts for 32 percent of paid search clicks and 25 percent of all pay-per-click (PPC) ad spend1, which translates into sales opportunities for your dealership. Read on to learn how to jump-start your mobile PPC strategy.

Mobile shoppers are on the go and ready to buy. According to the Mobile Path to Purchase study, 55 percent of consumers using mobile want to purchase within the hour and a whopping 85 percent want to purchase within a day. Additionally, those shoppers want to find the closest option — 69 percent of consumers expect businesses to be within five miles of their location.

Before you start your first mobile-optimized campaign, make sure your website is optimized for the unique needs of these mobile shoppers. You need to either have a mobile website or a responsive website, which automatically scales to the specific dimensions of a site visitor’s device. To verify your website’s mobile functionality, test it on various devices and operating systems, including iPhone and Android.

In addition, you need to make it easy for mobile shoppers to find you! Be sure your phone number and address are easy to find and clickable, so mobile shoppers can call you or map your location with their Google Maps or other GPS app with just a single click.

Segmentation is key. Because mobile shoppers are much closer to the sale than the typical desktop shopper, it is important to segment your AdWords campaigns specifically for mobile users; not only will this allow you to target your ad message to entice on-the-go shoppers, but it will also allow you to accurately measure the results of your mobile campaigns.

Segmentation starts with the right mobile keywords. It’s important that you don’t just re-use keywords from your desktop campaigns. Some will work, but many may not. Mobile users typically enter fewer keywords when they search. The most successful mobile campaigns use broad matching and more general keywords to capture relevant traffic. To help you select new, mobile-specific keywords, you can use the advanced features on the Google Keyword Planner. Load the tool at http://bit.ly/1hRPIZ3 and click on “Devices: Desktop and Laptop” to filter down to see keyword results just for mobile devices with full browsers.

Mobile AdWords setup specifications. If you haven’t read last month’s “Google AdWords Quick-start Guide,” grab your June 2014 issue of OPE or head over to www.outdoorpowerequipment.com for a primer on AdWords campaign setup. You’ll need to know the basics to set up your mobile ad, following these steps:

Log in to your AdWords account.
Create a new “Search Network” campaign.
Under the “Devices” heading, select “Let Me Choose.”
Select “Mobile devices with full browsers.”
Under “Ad extensions,” select “Location extensions2” and “Call extensions3.” (Read on for more insight on these helpful extensions.)
Set up the rest of your campaign like normal, picking your location, bid and budget.
Create your ad text like you do for desktop campaigns, adding a headline, description and URL.

Advanced options. Consider ad extensions, to allow shoppers to easily “call to click,” to display an easy-to-click call button exclusively on your mobile ads, or location extensions, which attach your business address to your ads. (Hint: Don’t miss the article footnotes for links to full extensions instructions!)

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Primo leads. Note that conversion rates tend to be lower on mobile, making your costs per lead a bit higher. However, keep in mind those leads that do convert are likely to be in the market to buy within the next 24 hours; those uber-hot leads are worth some additional expense!

Be patient. Just like with any new online endeavor, don’t expect to see immediate results. You need to give yourself some time to get competitive in the mobile AdWords universe!

1 http://bit.ly/1hgKOKF
2 Detailed location extensions instructions: http://bit.ly/1yjCH5m
3 Detailed click-to-call extensions instructions: http://bit.ly/1iusEAc

Heather Blessington joined ARI as Chief Marketing Officer in November 2013, in conjunction with the acquisition of Duo Web Solutions, a digital marketing start-up she owned which grew to be the leading provider of social media marketing services. Blessington has a 20-year track record of success in website design/development, search engine marketing and social media strategy. Blessington’s portfolio features work for Fortune 500 clients, including Microsoft, Samsung, Bank of America, Lowe’s and Whirlpool Corporation. An award-winning blogger and nationally renowned speaker, she earned a BS, Mass Communications, from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a PMP, Project Management Certification, from the Project Management Institute. ARI creates award-winning software solutions that help equipment manufacturers, distributors and dealers “Sell More Stuff!” – online and in-store. ARI removes the complexity of selling and servicing new and used inventory, parts, garments and accessories for customers in the outdoor power equipment, powersports, marine, RV, automotive tire and wheel, and white goods industries. More than 22,000 equipment dealers, 195 distributors and 140 manufacturers worldwide leverage ARI’s website (www.arinet.com) and eCatalog platforms to “Sell More Stuff!”

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