Google Insights reports that 78 per cent of smartphone users don't leave the house without their smartphone, with many using it to research and find products, services and leisure options when on the move.

LONDON, Sept. 28, 2012 -- With continued growth in UK smartphone and tablet ownership, mobile search is becoming a hot topic for brand marketers, meaning businesses must develop local search and mobile SEO strategies and be more reactive to evolving SEO best practice, says integrated search, social media and PR agency, Punch Communications.

Smartphones and tablets are used for much more than their mobile predecessors. For example, making calls can now be as low as the fifth most frequent use on a smartphone* - with over 55 per cent of mobile owners using their devices to browse the Internet on a daily basis, performing local-based searches and researching products. This revolutionary shift is leading to online marketing challenges for businesses, therefore, brand marketers need to better understand the differences in mobile web user requirements, as well as mobile search behaviour and activity, in order to capitalise on this fast-growing commercial opportunity.  

Additionally, screen sizes of mobile devices can be up to 80 per cent smaller than a desktop computer, meaning it is more important than ever to appear on the first page of search results. In light of this, companies must optimise their websites for mobile users, adding dynamic device detection, mobile search keyword research and, ideally, a mobile content strategy to their overall marketing agendas.

Google Insights reports that 78 per cent of smartphone users don't leave the house without their smartphone, with many using it to research and find products, services and leisure options when on the move. Google is constantly evolving to serve optimum localised recommendations to mobile search users and Google Places has now been integrated into the Google+ social network as Google+ Local, further proving the importance of local search. Real-time location-based searches are fundamental to mobile search, so businesses that are not keeping up to date with developments could quickly be left behind in the search engine results pages (SERPs).

Pete Goold, managing director of integrated social media, PR and SEO agency, Punch Communications, commented: "It's crucial for businesses to be reactive to changes in mobile search and adopt evolving best practice as early as possible to maximise visibility on these devices. Ignoring the needs of those searching via mobile - whether at home or on the move - could mean missing out on a grand scale; users searching for local information with a mobile device often take part in further activity, including making on and offline visits to a researched business."

"Developing a mobile-friendly web presence that incorporates a mobile content strategy and keywords tailored to mobile users' needs as part of an overall web strategy is quickly becoming a necessity for businesses, rather than an option."

Punch Communications is an integrated PR, search and social media agency also offering specialist services such as crisis PR advice. To find out what Punch can do for your business, please call 01858 411 600 or visit www.punchcomms.com.

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