What Additional Features Can Store Locators Use to Engage Customers?
Optimizing Store Locators for Mobile
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Optimizing Store Locators for Mobile
With 82% of smartphone shoppers now conducting “near me” searches, brands can’t afford for their store locators to perform well on desktops only. Mobile searches represent significant value for brands, and mobile-optimized store locators are one of the fastest ways to increase in-store conversions. Store locators make it easy for shoppers to find your brand’s nearest store location. More than just a map with a list of stores, mobile-optimized store locators are actually dynamic knowledge hubs, with advanced tools made especially for users of smartphone devices. Store locator software from companies like SOCi gives brands a way to establish and control authoritative location data, which is the basis of all local marketing. In addition to editing location data, brands that use advanced store locator software can add multimedia content and publish store hours from a unified platform. It might be easy for a business with one store location to add a map to a local landing page, but what about brands with dozens or even hundreds of locations? Large brands with 50 or more locations almost exclusively use locator software to power the store locator features on their desktop and mobile websites. Locator software can be setup to automatically fix bad addresses, remove duplicates, and provide precise geocodes, which ensures that the locator never fails to lead customers to the right location. As the number of smartphone users continues to rise, the functionality of mobile locator tools is becoming even more vital. To get the most from your mobile store locator, follow these best practices:Best Practices for Mobile-Optimized Locators
- Make sure your store locator works quickly and effectively across all mobile devices.
- Mobile locators should incorporate native store reviews to convert skeptical customers.
- Locators should be customized to deliver the best user experience, with mobile usability and design at the forefront.
- The best mobile locators incorporate elements that are unique to searchers on smartphones. (For example, SOCi’s mobile store locator can incorporate car-sharing services like Uber and Lyft for quick search to store conversions.)
- With information about mobile users’ current locations, brands can add location-specific offers, deals, and promotions to their mobile locators.
- Locators are a good place to use lead forms to capture potential buyers for re-targeting or email marketing.
