mysteries of mobile search for finance
TRANSCRIPT
Mysteries of Mobile Search for Finance3 important questions for finance marketers
Who we are
Shaun Russell,Product Manager
@_shaunrussell
Experts in competitive intelligence for search
@adthena
What this presentation will cover
Google’s mobile-friendly update
Mobile search investment
Recommended mobile search strategies
Mystery #1:What does Google’s mobile-friendly update mean for us?
Google’s Mobile-friendly Update…
• New ranking signal introduced April 21st – April 28th
• Each page assessed for mobile-friendliness:“…there are no degrees of mobile-friendliness…
...you are either mobile-friendly or not.”
Source: Google Q&A session
It didn’t take long for the industry to coin their own term…
Source: Usable Media
It didn’t take long for the industry to coin their own term…
Source: SBR Technologies
The results weren’t catastrophic • April & May were unremarkable months – no
significant industry shifts• Clear but marginal increase in mobile-friendly
results and their ranking
Source: Adthena, MOZ
But the update is a symptom of the wider shift to mobile
• The effect was small because:1. The majority of websites were well
prepared2. Mobile-friendly pages tend to be well
optimised for pre-existing ranking signals
• Following the initial announcement, there was a 5% uplift in mobile-friendly pages (confirmed by Google)
Mystery #2:How should we be investing in mobile search?
Market leaders in finance invest heavily
Betting Telecoms Finance Retail Insurance0.00%
50.00%
100.00%
150.00%
200.00%
Mobile:Desktop Impression Share Ratio by Industry
Source: Adthena
100%
Finance
Mobile is characterized by volatility
Source: Adthena
• Fewer positions available
• Strategies not yet at maturity
“In your opinion, where do you see the most growth in mobile right now?”
Source: Open Mobile Summit 2015 Survey
Search does not exist in a vacuum
Source: Adthena
Search does not exist in a vacuumDigital frontrunners like ASOS are less dependent on their mobile site
Source: Adthena
Search does not exist in a vacuumIf your app is not ubiquitous, search is a critical path to adoption
In summary… should we invest in mobile?
Short answer: YES!
Things to be aware of:• Market volatility: smart brands stay close to
opportunities and change• Business context: investment should
complement your wider mobile strategy
Source: Open Mobile Summit 2015 Survey
Mobile investment doesn’t have to be nuclearIf optimizing the whole website for mobile remains infeasible – page level optimization will still make a difference.
Mystery #3:How should our mobile strategy vary from desktop?
Enhanced Campaigns were a mixed blessing
Competitive threat changes with device
Desktop
= 57%overlap
Mobile= 29%overlap
Mobile= 29%overlap
Your users change with deviceMobile users need more convincing that results will provide a good user experience
Source: Adthena
And of course, Google changes too
No organic above the fold
Google now show 3 paid results
With fewer positions above the fold…
Source: Adthena
• CTR drops off sharply
• Savvy brands are more selective with their keyword targets
• This affords high positioning on these terms
Above the fold
Always below
Sometimes below
Mobile-preferred ads are a key weapon
Betting Telecoms Finance Retail Insurance0.00%
10.00%
20.00%
30.00%
40.00%
50.00%
60.00%
70.00%
% Mobile Preferred Ads by Industry
Source: Adthena
Finance
Key Takeaways
1Mobile optimisation is more important than ever
2Leading finance brands investing heavily
Be selective Be context aware
3 4
Meet us at the roundtable
@adthena
Shaun Byron Ben