As smartphones and tablets continue to change, it seems like our world is also changing, almost faster than we can keep up. It has left business owners and marketers wondering "What does that mean for us? Will desktop websites be completely taken over by mobile?"


During this week's Energy Circle Pro webinar, we started digging into the mobile data for home performance companies across our Energy Circle network (over 325 companies in 49 states) to see if what is perceived as trends in business as a whole are also true for our industry. 


While digging into the depths of google analytics for mobile users we came across some very valuable and somewhat surprising data that we think will inform you on how to build and manage your mobile site. 


Here are a few key facts that we discovered: 


  • Google organic traffic is the biggest driver of traffic to mobile sites
  • Users are only visiting 1-3 pages on their devices
  • Users are spending more time on your site on a mobile device (10 minutes on average on an iPhone) than on the site on their desktop (6 minutes on average)


In general, the way people discover, research and buy from home performance businesses will probably never be completely mobile (at least for the next few years). Instead, mobile is increasingly becoming an important part of a hybrid digital experience that combines the mobile and desktop experiences. 


This is great news for your mobile marketing! Early iterations of mobile websites were cluttered, difficult to read and took forever to load. Squeezing all the information from a website into a 4x5 inch space creates a terrible experience for customers, and is a nightmare for business owners and web designers. 


Now that a hybrid experience is evolving, we start to understand that homeowners are still doing most of their in-depth research into home performance services on their desktop, so we can focus the mobile experience on giving them the information they need the most, in a way that supports your business goals.


When we take a step back from all of the in-depth data we see one overarching trend. Mobile use is action-based and desktop use is research-based. 


What does that mean? 


It means that when a potential customer comes to your website on their mobile phone they are most often looking to take quick action. They are searching for your phone number because their pipes burst, they are looking for your list of services to see if you can help solve a problem like a broken furnace or air conditioner, or they are looking for answers to a specific problem from an expert. They want to take action, and it's in your best interest to make it as easy as possible to do that. Customers using their smartphones are in action mode - which is only a small step away from buying mode. 


Here are a few of the best practices we recommend when building a site for the action-based mobile user:


Prioritize a strong call to action


The first thing a homeowner should see on your site is "Click to Call" or "Click to email".


Having a phone number at the top of your page is important on your desktop site, but having a no-brainer way to call your company without having to cut and paste a number is the best option. Be sure to line up the call to action with your own preferred form of communication. If you are in your truck on the road throughout the day you are probably easier to reach by phone. If you have a manager in your home office responding to emails and capturing email information as a part of your marketing plan, make your CTA "Click to Email".


Try to stay away from long online forms that require customers to type anything more than their name and email. The exception to this rule is for companies who are trying to qualify leads as they come in and want to create barriers that keep uninterested customers from taking action.


Branding is important but needs to be space efficient


We love gorgeous logos and beautiful images, they can truly transform a website. But a logo or image that fills the screen of your smartphone and pushes relevant content out of view should be avoided. Building a site that is mobile or responsive makes it easier to take these design elements into consideration from the beginning of the process.


Elevate the most important content


Having a mobile site allows you to cherry pick the content that will convert the most leads from a device. If you offer emergency or time sensitive services like AC repair, furnace repair, frozen pipes repair and emergency plumbing services, this is the content that should be featured.


Other content that should be prioritized are visual elements such as videos, photo galleries and that allow comsumers to see and feel your brand without much effort. Featuring your association affiliations and credentials are also important, along with featuring 3rd party reviews. These features help establish trust in a moment when a homeowner want to take action but may have some hesitation. Reading a few quick reviews of your reliable services and professionalism will help alleviate any apprehension and make them click the CTA button (that is easy to find). 


Be mindful of the reader's short attention span


While visual content is great, carefully choosing content that is short and to the point is important. Videos should be quick, and image galleries should be limited to only the best photos. When it comes to mobile design, less is more. Edit text to be easy to read and to the point. Remember that homeowners who are serious about your services will be back to research your company when they are on their desktop, so giving them a short teaser that peaks their interest is more effective than a long-winded history of your company. That longer content has a place in the research phase, but first get them interested in your core services.


Just think! Getting a homeowner to pick up the phone is one of your most important marketing goals, and when these customers are on their mobile devices, they already have their phone right in their hand. They are in the perfect place to take action. By following a few simple guidelines to building an effective mobile site you can maximize this advantage and connect with new customers when they need your services the most. 


Ready to go mobile?  Drop us a line!