If anything is increasing in frequency with respect to internet usage, then it definitely is mobile devices being used to access the internet. With roughly 40% of all internet traffic now originating from mobile devices, brands and businesses the world over cannot afford to properly accommodate these devices in their SEO and marketing plans. Those who fail to do so will likely miss out on half of their potential traffic or more in the coming years. As a way to ensure your local search efforts are being properly planned on mobile devices, we’ve put together a list of five great tips that you need to be utilizing in 2015. Continue reading to find out more.

Putting Mobile First

In years past, accommodating mobile users was considered a nice effort and one that could be considered cutting edge. In this day and age, mobile search optimization is an absolute must and will soon take over desktop search as the primary form of inquiry for users. If your brand fails to understand this and take it into account, then the Google Gods will punish you accordingly. Be sure to put mobile first – especially when optimizing for local results – if you want to continue succeeding.

Accelerate Your Mobile Marketing

When pinging users on desktop and traditional devices with ads, you may notice that your click through rates are comparatively low when compared to mobile devices. Why is this? Study after study shows that mobile users are more receptive to marketing efforts at a local level than they are on desktops. One reason behind this is that there is a larger percentage of the screen being accommodated by each ad displayed, and another is that more users are looking to make a purchase or inquire about a product when searching from a mobile device.

Be Location Oriented

Recent data suggests that an increasing number of mobile users are searching for information about local businesses and locations while they are on and about doing other things. They often want to find hours of operation, basic costs, menus and other local-specific information. By incorporating more of these elements into your brand’s web presence and combining it with traditional SEO methods, you’ll be sure to feature more prominently in local search results.

Personalize Your Ads

Roughly one in four individuals specified that the top reason they were most likely to click on an ad was due to the fact that ad was personalized. Micro-targeting is increasingly becoming commonplace among those pinging users with relevant information. While you probably already use A/B testing to determine the effectiveness of your ads in general, magnifying this approach with specific demographics can boost your success even more in local paid search.

Anticipate What People Need

The most common reason an individual clicks on a local result – whether it be paid or organic – is that they saw information that was relevant to what they were already seeking. In most cases, people are either looking for affirmation or clarification. If you can provide this in the first sentence or two of what people will see in organic or paid search, then you are much more likely to convince them to click. This, in turn, boosts your standing with search engines (assuming your bounce rates are manageable).