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Smartphones and Commerce in India’s Digital Age
The digital age has shaped new opportunities in commerce. Local retail stores are falling-behind without a footing in the e-commerce realms, highlighting the need for business owners to bolster sales and presence through digital marketing with smartphones.
Statistics show that of all the segments in online retail, smartphone searches are the largest factor in driving offline retail sales. As we move further into the digital age, business owners should learn how to use this information to their advantage.
The Impact Of Smartphone Searches
Before the smartphone, users would have to turn on their computers to conduct a search. As of now, information sourcing is convenient and intuitive. You will only need to open your smartphone and click a few buttons to find what you want.
21% of India’s in-store shopping is influenced by digital factors, while 18% is influenced by smartphones. This means that you need an online presence to maximize sales from your physical stores. Simply put, you must be discoverable through online searches.
Information and contact details about your store should be provided in full if you wish to convert online traffic into store visitors. A whopping 75% of visitors are more likely to visit a store after search results provide them with required information.
With that said, let us take a look at some helpful ways to improve your online presence.
Creating Your Online Presence
Delving into digital marketing can be overwhelming to anyone who is just starting out, so let’s try to keep it simple.
1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO simply means that when someone searches for content, you are optimized to turn up first in their search-results page. This is a highly competitive zone of digital marketing but knowing a little really helps. Local companies like Techmagnate or Briefkase offer SEO services that are intuitive and easy to use. Generally, optimization relies on:
- Website Design
- Keyword(s)
- Written content
- Meta tags (words used in HTML coding)
- Alt tags (words that appear on images when you move your mouse over them)
The reason why SEO is listed first in this list is because it helps drive organic traffic to your website. This way you know that the people who are visiting your website are generally interested in your services, products and/or content.
2. Search Advertising
As mentioned, SEO is a highly competitive method of getting your page or content noticed. Sometimes it is better to combine SEO with search advertising. This will allow your webpage to appear on top of relevant search results. This is highly recommended, as viewers can assess all the information they need within a few lines.
As an example, if I am organizing a wedding in Bangalore that needs food, I will search for “catering services in Bangalore” and will be shown the results as such:
Furthermore, Google utilizes a search radius for your store’s listed location. Meaning that people around your area are more likely to be exposed to your webpage when making relevant searches.
3. Google Business Local Listings
The built-in GPS system of smartphones is a useful feature that Google makes use of. This feature allows customers to determine exactly how far your store is from any checkpoint, and how long it would take them to get there. Customers frequently use location results directly from Google, so this is an important feature for you to set up. Ensure that you have 3 things in check before listing your store’s location:
- Business Name
- Accurate Address
- Local phone number
These facts will help Google determine your exact location and avoid unnecessary confusion. Alternatively, you can drop a pin on the exact location of your store and save the address name that shows up.
The Digital Age
Consumers of the digital age are highly mobile and fast-paced. In fact, India is currently the second largest market for smartphones, directly behind China. Keeping up with digital marketing strategies is a worthy investment if you are looking to stay relevant within commercial business.
Actionable Takeaway: Make Google searches of successful services, products and/or content around your area. Make a mental note of how other people are setting up their content for maximum reach. You can apply these methods and perhaps even improve on them!
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