How Your Outdoor Customers Are Using Their Phones

How Your Customers are Finding What YOU Do!

Have you ever wondered, "how did these people find me?".  Your not alone and the way that they did is rapidly changing. In the beginning there was word of mouth. We found great outdoor places to camp, thins to do by our friends and family.  Then came the yellow pages and we started to dial.

Next with the web explosion, in the late 90's and 2000's there were ways to find websites.  With the birth of the search engine it became easier than before to type one thing in a search bar, and Baam! There it was.That is called SEO, search engine optimization.

Now SEO has taken on a new form and evolved to mobile.  Ya that's right, your customers phones.  This is all very cool and fun to watch, but like any change in a system.  You have to jump on or get left behind.

Mobile Internet usage is gauged to surpass desktop usage by 2014 according to digitalbuzz.  If looked at properly and from the lens of opportunity this is a good thing.  Since we deal with travelers, outdoor enthusiasts and those that love to wander, then being accessible through your customers phone is what YOU need to do.

Just to highlight a few ways that search and consumer use of the Internet will change.

• Mobile Search: Apps, apps and more apps.  With keyboards on mobile devices being smaller, and the "on the go" nature of a phone a users keyword search will be smaller than on a desktop. Predictive text, and even misspellings will influence that way that companies and website optimize.

• Social Search: Lets be honest.  Don't you trust what your friends and those you know more? 90% of mobile Internet involvement is for being social. The ability for a business to jump into their customers world, and conversation is amazingly valuable.  Having the ability for your site and everything on it to be social will help you not be left out.

• Geo Location: Customers phones are usually on them in case you have not noticed.  That means that search is geared to be right where a customer is. Provide content on your site that is what your customer wants.  Be local, share what is local or partner with someone who can!

• Voice Search: There is a new girl in town. Her name is Siri.  Have you met her?  When we search using a search engine we search in shorter more concise terms. parameters like "campground, camping, and RV parks in South Dakota" are used to filter and look through results.  When using voice the keywords and search is along the line of "where is there a campground around me" Much more conversational.  Use these keywords in your content as well.

• Trip Based: You are the local outdoor service and product supplier?  Why not use the content that attracts customers to your area to increase traffic.  Using trip content that is geared towards what makes you area great is easy to find using mobile devices.  Use that on your website.

Of course with myCampmate being a mobile search app that is centered on outdoor discovery and sharing we are excited about what is coming.  The mobile web is still being born, thought out and growing.  The numbers don't lie and the rate of growth in the mobile search area commands a great deal of focus.  For you as a business as well as Internet marketers and SEO professionals. 

Those locations, stores, product supplier's and service providers that are focused on the outdoor enthusiast that get it.  They will win.  Those that do not will be fighting to hang on.