Mobile platforms have transformed the way customers use the Internet for business, but desktop platforms remain vital for purchase decisions in most categories and especially in B2B and, more specifically, in the manufacturing industry. However the risk of thinking just in terms of e-commerce transactions is to miss a full range of customer-brand interactions through mobile.
So which marketing activities on which platform?
- Try to understand which keywords and keyphrases are searched on different devices. Google AdWords estimates that for specific keywords related to certain machining processes, 48% of the searches come from mobiles and 39% from desktops. For promotion, therefore, both mobile and desktop users should be targeted through ‘device-friendly’ ads. For example, web-banners specifically designed for mobile should be created and users should be encouraged to act and convert through engaging call to actions (CTAs) and mobile-optimised landing pages.
- Remember that the use of various devices might change dramatically when comparing different markets. This is an important aspect that shouldn’t be overlooked if you are implementing a global campaign. So do your homework: run keyword analysis in different languages and establish the use of different devices for each market you intend to target.
- Find out how different members of the organisational buying unit access the Internet. Technical engineers in workshops might only have access to portable devices, while office-based management engineers are able to access PCs. Your company website should offer a responsive design that provides the content in the right format, in real time across multiple devices – enhancing the user experience based on intent and context, maximizing engagement and optimising conversions.
- Prepare a content marketing roadmap. Content must be targeted precisely – so that it is truly relevant for buyers – and designed to improve conversion and satisfaction across different hardware and software platforms. For example, as one of the most common mobile usage activities is accessing emails, this could be the ideal media channel to communicate with technical engineers. Apart from the channel, what should also be considered is:
- The type of content and message delivered – e.g. a practical video about product features for engineers in workshops or a buyer guide for management engineers
- The frequency and timing – e.g. weekly or monthly, factory or offices hours?
- The format – text or html? Or for the video example, streamed live or accessible through an App when offline?
Customers’ permission and selective opt-in communications based on the options above should ensure more relevant engagement and drive the content strategy so as to achieve the ultimate conversion goals.
