Mobile now makes up nearly nine out of ten “near me” searches, according to new data published by Google, while the total amount of these mobile searches has soared by 146% year-on-year. Google VP of Americas Marketing Lisa Gevelber has claimed that enterprises must now look to adopt a “mobile-centric search strategy” to take advantage of this latest trend.
The launch of Google’s Accelerated Mobile Pages and Facebook’s Instant Articles has placed a greater focus on mobile in recent months, and statistics are showing that consumers are now using their smartphones and tablets more than ever before to make “near me” searches. These are described as “I-want-to-go” queries, examples of which include a person’s need to find the location of a nearby ATM, restaurant, shop or bank.
Google statistics show that mobile searches for luxury car prices have grown by nearly 90%, jewellery-related searches have increased by 77% and bookings for a leading hotel chain are made on the same day as check-in 74% of the time. There has also been a rise in the number of searches with the words “cheap” and “price” in them.
Mobile-centric
Gevelber said: “Being there and being useful requires an understanding of consumer intent and context. The intent signal that search gives and the context signals that mobile can provide (such as location) can help you tailor your answers and experiences precisely for that consumer’s micro-moment. ‘Near me’ searches (like ‘coffee shop near me’) is one example of this.”
A recent report by LSA and Buzzboard also highlighted the growing importance of mobile, as it found that 60% of respondents were now using small computing devices to get the latest information online. Gevelber concluded that marketers should now be aiming to identify these mobile-centric searches and themes through extensive keyword research, implement them in order to “be there” and capture mobile searchers at the right moment and break free of a desktop-only mindset by finding unique ways to embrace mobile.
She added “Mobile can’t just be a shrunken version of existing online ads and desktop content. It really calls for us to think bigger about consumers’ context and intent so that we can cater to mobile-specific situations.”
