Who are you going to call?

When we’re shopping, we often turn to friends or acquaintances we trust for a fresh set of eyes. We want to double-check our decisions. We want to steer clear of making the wrong choice. Mobile searches have changed that.

With unlimited access to information at our disposal at all times, we’re now accustomed to turning to a device for quick, useful advice, across a much wider range of topics. To inform any decision, we only have to turn to our phones. By now, it’s become clear that mobile is creating numerous shifts in people’s search behavior.  Today’s empowered consumers have become more impatient, more demanding, and more curious—and these shoppers are all hungry for advice.

Every decision counts.

People want to feel confident and ensure that the choice they’re about to make is the right one for them. Mobile searches for “best” have grown over 80% in the past two years. We’ve seen these searches for pricey purchases (cars), major decisions (employment, education), and long-term investments (life insurance), but also for products that you wouldn’t think that they are important enough to spend time on research before buying. An everyday item, for example, the umbrella. Mobile searches for “best umbrellas” have grown more than 140% over the past two years. In other words, consumers are becoming research-obsessed, even about the small stuff.

Mobile searches for “best” have grown over 80% in the past two years.

Mobile searches seeing is believing.

Clearly, consumers just want to be well-informed about their purchase decisions, big or small. They want to hear what others think and see their experiences—the good and the bad. And this plays out with searches on YouTube as well.

mobile searches

Watch time of “does it work” videos grew by more than 11X in the past two years,

as consumers seek out visual proof that the items they’re considering deliver what they promise. Not only that, but people are increasingly turning to mobile video to watch reviews.

In the past two years, videos with the word “review” in the title had more than 50,000 years worth of watch time on mobile alone.

Nevertheless, we have already seen the way that mobile changes the B2B marketplace.

Gaining the consumers’ trust.

People are turning to mobile and actively searching for advice across categories, even for the small stuff.

mobile searches

Marketers already monitor social media and review sites to see what people are saying about their products. Doing the same for search behavior can give you another window into the mind of your customers.  How people are searching for your brand can help catch potential issues, identify areas for improvement, and uncover new ways to talk to your consumers.

By making your brand easily discoverable and understanding when and where people are searching for guidance, you can ensure you’re there with the right advice whenever people need you. Simply by adding automation. Marketers must be allies in the process, bringing real information and tips, nurturing potential customers.

Until next time.