Mobile searchers want to buy NOW and FAST (new research)

Mark Traphagen
Aug 29, 2017 · 2 min read

Consumers on mobile devices are all about speed, and not just for downloads of their favorite YouTube videos.

New data from Google’s VP of Marketing for the Americas, Lisa Gevelber, shows that mobile searchers are increasingly impatient when they are ready to make a purchase. More and more, they will go for whoever is open now, has the stock now, and/or can ship it by the fastest means.

Searching for “Open Now”

For example, Google Trends shows that searches for “open now” have tripled over the past two years, while searches for “store hours” have dropped.

Relative search frequency for “open now”

This reflects how having an always-on computer in the palm of their hands has affected consumer behavior. The mobile consumer is more impulsive, more spur-of-the moment in her purchasing decisions. Her smartphone has enabled and encouraged that mindset.

Consumers are now more loyal to their need than to a particular place.

We Want It and We Want It NOW

The Google data also reveals that mobile searches for “same day shipping” have increased 120% since 2015. This means that online sellers must be as ready to be “in the moment” as brick and mortar local stores.

Of course, this need for speed carries over into the web site experience you provide these searchers. These behaviors underscore the need to be “mobile friendly” with a site that loads fast and is easy to read and use on a mobile device screen.

It also means you have to have pages that match up well with the new ways people search on mobile, especially the increasing number wh0 use voice to search on their phones.

Be a First Fast Mover

If you do business online, or have an online presence for your physical locations, these should be your immediate priorities:

  1. Create a mobile-friendly version of your site. Research shows if a site takes more than 3 seconds to load, 53% of visitor will leave, and conversion fall by 12%.

Mobile is now the way most people search for what they want or need. Be sure you meet their need for speed!

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Mark Traphagen

Written by

Digital Marketing Consultant/Teacher/Speaker | VP Content Strategy for AimClear | Content Marketing | Mandolin Maven 🏳️‍🌈 he/him/his

Marketing and Entrepreneurship

Tips & News on Social Media Marketing, Online Advertising, Search Engine Optimization, Content Marketing, Growth Hacking, Branding, Start-Ups and more.

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