As mobile usage continues to go through the roof – and approaches levels that indicate it may soon overtake desktop devices as the majority-form of internet traffic – countless brands and companies are seeking to cash in on the mobile craze. While these trends may not always be as strong and the nature of how we consume data is subject to change, it’s unlikely that many of the long-established mobile behaviours are going away anytime soon. Before you can effectively reach mobile shoppers with a message and a product, however, you should probably first know a little bit about them. Here, we’ll discuss the main characteristics of the changing mobile landscape and of the typical mobile shopper.

Mobile’s Role in e-Commerce: The Stats

There is no reason to believe that with recent innovations like Netflix and Amazon’s foray into same-day delivery by drone, that e-commerce is going to decline in the foreseeable future. What is telling about the trends of e-commerce at this point, though, is what mobile is doing to them. Almost all of the net growth in e-commerce is coming through purchases via mobile. In fact, by the end of the decade, the amount of e-commerce occurring via mobile devices is expected to reach last year’s levels of e-commerce across all devices. Pinging links of your products in a mobile-friendly fashion has never been more important.

What Do People Trust?

It is important to understand what mobile shoppers trust and what they view with scepticism before deploying any marketing strategies that target them. As with most things in life, the most valuable form of referral an e-commerce model can obtain is recommendations from friends; social media apps and shares can play a huge role in driving this strategy. Consumer opinions and reviews, branded websites, emails from mailing lists they’ve subscribed for and editorial content are also strong motivators. Even more interesting is what mobile users are least likely to be convinced by – text ads displayed on mobile phones ranked dead-last in a survey of 19 specific marketing strategies via mobile. Social media mobile ads were a bit more effective, but still pale in comparison to recommendations, reviews and well-designed websites. The best ad performers overall among mobile shoppers were search engine ads.

What Appeals to Shoppers?

What elements can you use to effectively start pinging links and bringing in business that are traditionally considered outside the role of e-commerce? A few environmental and lifestyle factors incorporated into your marketing campaigns can make a huge difference. Mobile consumers, for instance, are willing to spend more on ethically and environmentally responsible products than those that are made and sold through “traditional” means. Attaching something relevant to the purchase that goes along with the mobile experience can also be a benefit; perhaps a free download of an app with a particular purchase is up your alley.

Conclusion

Expanding your e-commerce strategies into the mobile market is an essential and unavoidable reality if you want to succeed in the future. By knowing what appeals to shoppers, what is driving their decision-making and how the market is evolving, you’ll be better prepared to incorporate important elements into a strategy that works for you.