Kitchen & Bath Business - February/March 2017 - 22

Tech Savvy

Gaga for Google
Making mobile moments count with
homeowners looking to remodel

WHAT HAPPENS OFFLINE MAKES A SUCCESSFUL MOBILE MOMENT

FOR YEARS, IT'S BEEN THE SAME STORY. When a
homeowner wants to remodel their bathroom or
kitchen, they open up a laptop and go to Google.
They type in their search terms and press enter,looking to find ideas, design inspiration and cost estimates.They weigh their options and browse - often
for hours - until they find an appealing solution.
With mobile phones on the rise, that story
is about to change. Currently, 50 percent of
bath and kitchen remodeling searches
happen on mobile devices, and we are
on our phones all the time. Needless
to say, the age of mobile is an enormous profit opportunity.
In this mobile revolution, kitchen and bath businesses need to
capture what Google calls "mobile
moments," which means creating
conversions whenever and wherever
a mobile user is searching. Making
the most out of these mobile moments
generates more leads, which generates
higher revenue and growth.
Now that Google has set the standard of
mobile-first marketing, the rest of the digital
world will soon follow. Remodeling contractors
would be wise to jump on board the mobile transition now because it's really taking off.

Unlike other types of online users, homeowners are often interested in initiating personal contact.That means they are taking a risk with their personal
information - they don't really know where those forms go to when they
click submit. So, reassurance and stellar customer service can make all the
difference when it comes to nailing the lead.
Respond to mobile inquiries courteously and promptly, and be prepared
to give excellent information. You need to be there wherever and whenever
potential clients need you. That's how you create a successful mobile
moment. And that's really why people love their smartphones so
much - they connect them to what they need, when they need it.
Also, if you make it a point to go the extra mile offline, there
is a greater chance the customer will enhance your reputation
online. Happy customers write reviews, which can improve
your Google review rankings. And they'll probably share
photos of their beautiful new bath or kitchen online with their
friends on Facebook.
WHY DEVICE TARGETING MATTERS

Since homeowners are primarily using smartphones and tablets
to search, you should have a strategy and response path for each
device. Different models will continue to flood the market, so you'll
want to make it as easy as possible for every type of user.
Landing pages need to adjust to the screen size of the device, menus
should be easy to navigate, and content should be clear. Users should
be able to tap to contact and swipe through. Your site should accommodate every communication preference: phone, email, chat and text.
The process should be hassle-free, and load times should be fast (three
seconds max).
The bottom line here is to make sure your site is informative and interactive for every type of device: tablet, phone and everything in between. Before
you launch, take the time to test your mobile site on tablets and phones of
all varieties.

IMPRESS HOMEOWNERS
WITH YOUR MOBILE DESIGN

In a recent report (https://think.storage.googleapis.com/images/micromoments-guide-to-winning-shift-to-mobile-download.pdf ), Google
said there are four types of mobile moments:
(1) I-Want-to-Know, (2) I-Want-to-Go, (3) I-Want-to-Do
and (4) I-Want-to-Buy. In terms of kitchen and
bath businesses, homeowners mostly want to
know and buy, but they also want to feel inspired.
When they search, they want to find an image or
description that matches their idea of a perfect
kitchen or bathroom.

The first step to capturing a mobile moment is having a mobile-friendly
website. Your site should have a responsive design, tap-friendly actions and
easy navigation. Make sure to feature contact forms and calls to action (CTA)
on your mobile site; these lead to more in-home visits, which gives your sales
team the opportunity to seal the deal.
Beefing up your mobile CTAs and creating easy contact points are going
to make the greatest impact on your conversions and ultimately on your
bottom line. Yet, what happens after the homeowner makes contact is
equally important.

TODD BAIRSTOW is an entrepreneur and online marketing
expert with 18 years of experience. He founded Keyword
Connects in 2005, where
he developed a business
plan to generate leads for
his clients on a 100-percent
performance basis.

THE MOBILE WORLD IS YOUR OYSTER

The best part of the mobile age is that searches can happen anywhere at any
time. Homeowners may look for inspiration while they cook dinner or while
they wait for an oil change. Mobile moments are happening all around us
all the time.
Making those mobile moments count - that's how you can keep those
leads coming in this brave, new mobile-first world. Seize this opportunity
to make your company known, and leads are sure to follow.
z

Kitchen & Bath Business / FEB.-MARCH 2017 / KBBONLINE.COM / The official publication of KBIS (KBIS.com)

https://think.storage.googleapis.com/images/micromoments-guide-to-winning-shift-to-mobile-download.pdf https://think.storage.googleapis.com/images/micromoments-guide-to-winning-shift-to-mobile-download.pdf https://think.storage.googleapis.com/images/micromoments-guide-to-winning-shift-to-mobile-download.pdf http://www.KBBONLINE.COM http://www.KBIS.com

Kitchen & Bath Business - February/March 2017

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