mysteries of mobile search for finance

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