Consumers are increasingly relying on their mobiles for web searches and information gathering despite the number of calls from mobiles having now reduced.

Craig Stevens, group director of digital marketing services at Trader Media Group asks if dealers’ websites are optimised for such use and urges dealers to consider how to incorporate mobiles into their marketing strategy.

Stevens will further explore the increasing use of mobiles, tablets and apps when he speaks at AM and Razsor’s Digital Marketing Conference at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry on February 13, 2013.

A staggering 43% of all internet searches are made from a mobile device. And with over 57% of the UK population owning a smartphone (source: Kantar Worldpanel ComTech) it’s more important than ever.

As well as the changing face of the mobile world, Stevens will look at how consumer behaviour has evolved in just the past 12-18-months including the ways in which consumers are interacting and depending more and more on their mobiles as a multi-media channel.

Stevens said: “Consumers are spending more time online via their mobiles as well as dual screening by using their mobile alongside other devices.

“Analytics for the Autotrader website shows by lunchtime PC and laptop internet usage hits a plateau and by the afternoon and early evening, we see dual screening really coming to life. Mobile and tablet activity peaks in the evening as people are searching the internet with a range of devices – even just a year ago, this trend wasn’t so prevalent.”

Consumers are also incorporating mobiles at even more stages of the buying cycle, in particular by making calls from the forecourt to local competitors to compare vehicle prices and to research finance and insurance information.

Stevens said: “People are using mobiles and tablets in order to find even more information and access the internet while on the move and most dealers’ websites have not kept pace. Many dealership websites are not optimised for tablets or mobiles and customers will simply find a website that loads quicker and can be viewed better on their smart phones.

“Mobile offers dealers the opportunity to promote their stock to consumers in a cost effective manner and because dealers in general are not utilising this area, early adopters have the potential to steal a march.”

For more information on the Digital Marketing Conference including details of how to book, visit www.amdigitaldealer.co.uk