The document discusses the growing trend of mobile search and local internet marketing. It notes that over 35% of searches will be done on mobile devices by 2013. To take advantage of this shift, businesses need to optimize their websites for mobile and focus on local search engine marketing techniques like Google Places. Doing so can help businesses get more impressions and clicks from local mobile searches, outpacing competitors that have not adopted a local search strategy. The key is optimizing listings, profiles, and webpages to be highly relevant to local searches on mobile.

1. The Future of Mobile Marketing
Andrew Rayner, co-founder of e-mphasis and a renowned internet marketing expert, explores the
growing trend of mobile search and the revolutionary new concept of Google Places Optimisation.
It doesn‟t take a rocket scientist to recognise that mobile is a huge growth area. When Apple
introduced the first iPhone they really raised the bar, they created a step change in the ability for
consumers to interact with mobile technology, and everyone had to have one (or a cheaper imitation!)
So, with this increased use of smart phones, focusing on your search marketing approach for mobile
users is a smart move! Did you know it is predicted that by 2013 over 35% of all searches will be done
on a mobile device? That‟s either incredible growth in search, or, a massive transition from standard
browser to mobile browsers...
So, what can you do to keep ahead in mobile marketing?
What should your search marketing strategy include to be able to ride the mobile wave?
Well here are a few tips:
1. Your website needs to be readable and navigable on a mobile browser. There is no point having
fantastic SEO and being at the top of search when up to 35% of the audience can‟t even read
your website because they are using a mobile! Smart brands will have a website that actually
recognises if a browser is mobile or standard and therefore present the front end intelligently
and differently based on the medium being used.
2. Mobiles often assume a location to search, and, using geo-location techniques, mobile search
will more often than not return local results. To leverage this, your business not only needs a
search marketing strategy that encompasses traditional SEO but also that includes local
internet marketing...
Let’s look at that second point, local internet marketing, in a little more detail...
As we‟ve acknowledged, approaching 35% of search will be done on a mobile device. Today it is
estimated that there are over 3 billion searches on Google daily. As we‟ve established mobiles are
increasingly returning local search results. This means that Google alone could be returning a
phenomenal 1 billion local search results to mobile browsers, daily, by 2013!
So, how are businesses going to be able to take advantage of this shift in search behaviour?
What is the impact likely to be?
Today if you search Google on your standard PC browser for a product or service and add “in [your
location]” to the search you will almost always be presented with a highly visual map to the left with a
list of answers to your search adjacent to the map, the location of each reflected by a “pin” on the
map. Essentially that models what you would get if you were searching ONLY for the product or service
on a mobile browser which was able to understand, with geo-location, exactly where you were.
This is the top set of listings from Google Places (previously called Google Local Business Centre, a part
of Google Maps). If you click for more results you may discover that beyond the say 3-10 presented on
the top of the first page many hundreds, sometimes thousands, of listings for that product or service
within a reasonable distance of the specified location, exist.
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E: info@e-mphasis.com 1A Stonecross, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL1 4AA
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2. Businesses that take advantage of this shift in behaviour will be able to get ahead of the competition.
The impact is likely to be a massive increase in the number of searches they appear in (impressions)
and the subsequent click throughs / contacts made to their business. Extrapolating the benefit,
business could quite literally leap-frog their competition at the local level if they take advantage of the
opportunity now, before it has become saturated and heavily contested.
So, what is it about the few that achieve the oh-so desired top of page 1 position?
Basically it is down to the same critical assessment Google use in determining which websites are top
of search in non-local search – that is relevancy. Listings are also more likely to be on the front page if
they are complete – for example, if all the content fields are completed, if testimonials have been left,
if images have been added and the web pages they link to reinforce this information. The few listings
that make it to the first page have been assessed by Google to be of the most relevance in answer to
the searchers search.
So what now?
Google Places Optimisation enables businesses to drill-down internet marketing to the lucrative and
untapped potential of the „local‟ customer. The key to getting found in an increasingly crowded
marketplace will be leveraging the opportunities presented by concepts like Local Internet Marketing,
Google Places Optimisation and mobile search marketing - all of which are about getting found for
locally based search. Assuming you are found via mobile search it is imperative to have a useable,
mobile-compatible website to engage with customers and enable them to continue their journey to a
transaction with you.
Once you‟ve got that sorted you‟re well positioned to steal the march on your competition, particularly
those who have not yet embraced the importance of optimisation at the local level – after all, global is
simply the sum of many, many locals...
ENDS
Notes to Editor:
e-mphasis is an internet marketing agency specialising in providing Search Marketing and Social Media
Marketing for clients whose customers are consumers – specifically those in retail, travel, hospitality &
leisure.
The company is based in St Albans, Hertfordshire and was founded by Andrew Rayner. e-mphasis have
recently developed a unique offering – Google Places Optimisation, which unlike high cost PPC
campaigns, puts their clients onto page 1 of Google for a fixed monthly fee. This is currently being
trialled by Tesco Phone Shops, and is presenting some great results! This highly targeted approach to
Internet Marketing is a hugely untapped area of online marketing strategy and one which, thanks to
e-mphasis, is now generating interest and excitement from other major UK retail brands.
For any enquiries please contact Becky Lewis on 01603 742892 / 07866 739306
or email becky.lewis@mediajems.co.uk
T: 0845 414 5159 Registered Address: The Old Pump House,
E: info@e-mphasis.com 1A Stonecross, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL1 4AA
www.e-mphasis.com Registered No: 025548967 (England)