Here’s the secret about marketing these days: you have to go where your customers are, and more often than not, they’re on the move.

In fact in 2016, mobile Internet usage – which includes tablets and mobile phones – surpassed desktop use for the first time, with 51.2 percent of users accessing the Internet via a mobile device, and 48.7 percent going online via a desktop computer.

So if you don’t have a thriving mobile marketing strategy, you’d better get one, because your consumers are spending more of their time browsing and buying products and services with their mobile devices.

But if your existing mobile strategy just isn’t yielding the kind of results you want, here are five strategies that you can implement today to boost engagement, generate leads, and turn prospects into long-term customers.

1. Implement Mobile Payments

If half your prospects and customers are using mobile devices to access the Internet, a majority of them probably want the freedom to make purchases with mobile payment services such as Apple Pay, Venmo and Google Wallet.

These services have become all the rage among mobile customers because they are fast, easy and convenient, the three biggest buzzwords for satisfying mobile transactions.

This is true even if you are a brick-and-mortar, because a lot of customers are leaving the credit cards and cash at home, and using mobile payment services.

This also enhances the customer service journey, which is key to turning one-time buyers into long-term prospects.

2. Optimize Your Social Media Campaigns For Mobile Devices

Mobile customers tend to respond to social media marketing campaigns that are visual, short and attention-grabbing.

Actually, that should be your strategy even when you’re reaching customers on their desktops, but it’s essential for mobile marketing.

So that means you need to emphasize visual content such as videos and photos, which consumers can quickly grasp, identify with and respond to in a short period of time.

In a recent interview, Matt Heinz, a marketing speaker and President of Heinz Marketing said that any marketing content targeted at mobile users should be concise.

“If you’re optimizing for those that are scanning emails on their phones, it means that you’re creating really crisp, tight content, and that’s going to be easier for people to engage with on all devices.”

3. Make Your Website Local Search Friendly

Studies have found that more than half of all searches are conducted on mobile devices, and not surprisingly, 56 percent of all searches involved retail, which means that if you own a brick-and-mortar business, your website has to be optimized for local searches.

List your business in Google Places, a free service, which lets you track how many people viewed your business online as the result of a local search, and also provides maps and directions.

Google Places lets you add information such as business hours, payment options, e-mail address, phone number and links to any video content that you’ve created to market your business. It also lets you load links to current coupons or discounts.

And another easy way to generate more hits for local search is to solicit reviews from existing customers, and to make sure that your company is listed with the Better Business Bureau and your local chamber of commerce.

4. Create An App

It’s pretty obvious by now that apps are driving a large part of mobile usage, which means that you need to create apps to generate more business.

But wait…how are you supposed to afford the costs of app development?

The answer is that you create single-use apps, also known as Instant Apps that lets users access apps without having to go through a download.

Instant Apps offer easy access, and also makes it much easier for users to share the app through the use of a link.

Your prospects and customers can quickly access the services they want from your business without a lot of hassle, and you can build up awareness of your full native app through the Instant App, while still offering products and services.

5. Optimize Your Website For Mobile Users

It’s important to remember that mobile users want to scroll through information as quickly as possible.

Optimize your website for mobile devices by compressing your images without losing quality, keep your design simple, and ensure that your call-to-action (CTA) buttons are large and distinct.
You must also make sure users navigate your mobile site without any problem, and that any action you want them to take only requires a few steps.

Mobile Is Here To Stay

As noted marketing expert, Seth Godin said, the goal of any business is to “make something the market wants to talk about.”

But more and more these days, the ‘market’ talks while it’s on the move, and it doesn’t have the time to consume long-form content, or to go through a lot of steps to buy a product or service.

Your mission, should you accept it, is to think they way mobile customers do, and emphasize easy searches, bold and attention-grabbing images and videos, and ease of use. The biggest takeaway: Make it easy for your mobile prospects to engage with your business, and they’ll reward you for years to come.