SEO News

Integrating the digital and physical experience  

How does your company integrate the digital and physical experience? (This question was conditional on having an offline presence). 

Store locators

The figures are somewhat surprising. I would have thought that adding information about locations, opening hours etc would be a very basic step for companies with an offline presence. 

The 37% of companies not doing so are missing a chance to direct customers to offline locations, where they may be looking to make a purchase, get a quote, and so on. 

Also, customers are increasingly using their mobiles for this purpose. Last year’s Multichannel Retail survey found that 32% of mobile users had searched for this information, more so in the US. 

Have you used your mobile to find a retailer’s nearest store, opening times etc? 

Store locators are valuable tools for mobile shoppers, though many brands get the user experience badly wrong. 

For example, Next uses the GPS on mobile to allow customers to find the nearest stores without having to scroll through drop-downs or enter locations, which is a good idea. 

However, it simply doesn’t work well. First of all, there are at least five stores closer to my location than the ones listed here.

Also, while it plots my location on a map, it zooms in too far and doesn’t show any pins for its stores, which makes it completely useless. 

Here’s a better example from House of Fraser: 

Mobile search

As David Moth pointed out in a recent article, many brands with an offline presence are failing to take advantage of the potential of mobile search. Just 31% of respondents in our survey are doing this. 

Mobile search is growing rapidly and, as many searches have local intent (40% of mobile searches according to Google), it provides an opportunity for companies to target people in their area with a reasonable intent to purchase.  

Also, services like Google+ Local offer businesses an opportunity to optimise their mobile search presence very easily. 

For some searches, these Google+ results dominate the mobile SERPs. Here, a search for restaurants in Farringdon shows who has been smart enough to optimise their G+ listings: 

QR codes

When used properly, QR codes can be effective, but many campaigns are badly implemented, with not enough thought given to context, while a common failure is to send users to a page that hasn’t been designed for mobile. 

I’m surprised that 28% are using QR codes, when some of the tactics further down the list are more effective.

I suspect this is because QR is relatively cheap to use – the expensive bit can be getting it right by optimising landing pages. 

Reserve and collect

18% are using reserve and collect, and this figure is relatively low as not every company surveyed here is a retailer (23% are), so this tactic wouldn’t suit all of them. 

Any retailers should consider this though, as it fits in nicely with consumer research and purchase behaviour. Large numbers of consumers research online with the intention of heading to the high street to eventually make the purchase.

For example, more than a third of Homebase customers fit into this pattern. 

Over Christmas, 40% of shoppers surveyed by Econsultancy used reserve and collect services, so the consumer demand is there. 

In-store wi-fi

Again, this is perhaps more applicable to retailers, though less so, as the availability wi-fi influences the choice of cafe, bar or hotel for many people. 

17% of respondents are using wi-fi, which is promising, and I’d expect this figure to rise by next year’s survey. 

Several large retailers have adopted wi-fi, and it is a great tactic which can help to minimise the risk of showrooming if used in conjunction with other tactics like offers for mobile users. 

Tactics that work

We asked respondents for the tactics they found most effective in bridging the gap between physical and digital. Here are a few of the responses: 

Developing a detailed multichannel strategy in order to decide which products and services we should push/not push online, plus level of contact options (click-to-call, chat and email). In other words, finding the right mix.

Developing digital-based retail centres.

Looking into bringing digital displays and online payment alternatives into key stores.

Promoting in-store expert staff through the website – very effective in helping drive footfall to stores.

QR codes, in-store kiosks and tablets.

Posted by Erica McGillivray

We all want to influence our customers and our clients to follow the path to conversion. But what if that path fails to draw them in? That’s where Nathalie Nahai, the web psychologist, comes into play. She helps nudge your audience toward the right path and make your goals in Google Analytics happy, not to mention your boss or clients.

Nathalie recently authored the new book Webs of Influence: The Psychology of Online Persuasion. We were so impressed with Nathalie that we invited her to speak at this year’s MozCon, July 8th-10th in Seattle. Get your ticket today because you don’t want to miss this:

How’d you get your start working in inbound marketing as a psychologist?

I have a mixed background in psychology, the arts, and web design, and it wasn’t until I met some of the digi/tech entrepreneurs in East London that I even considered applying my psychology to online interaction. I became curious about how we’re influenced online and started looking for books on the subject. When I realised that there was a huge gap in the market, I decided to write the book myself. That was the real launching point.

Those of us working with data sometimes have to fight “common wisdom.” What web psychology optimization tip always shocks people?

I think the most obvious one is based around a comfortable assumption regarding website visitors, to which my response is always, “If you think you know your target audience, you’re wrong. Where’s your research?” No matter how well you think you know your audience, you should always research them, and never assume that the knowledge you have about them is carved in stone. People change — so must your strategy.

What’s your favorite social media medium to engage in?

I’d have to say Twitter, or Instagram when I’m travelling. Though recently there have been so many genuinely fascinating updates running through my Facebook feed, including my favourite, I Fucking Love Science, that a lot of my productivity has been lost to that particular black hole.

You recently wrote a post about why people troll online. How do you recommend dealing with trolls?

Honestly? I usually write a polite, reasoned response back, and if they retort with something obnoxious (which thankfully happens fairly rarely), then I ignore the thread. There’s no point fuelling the fire.

” …given that a great proportion of our communication is non-verbal [8], and that we rely heavily on facial recognition to connect with and understand one another, it may be that losing eye-contact online actually cuts out our main avenue for empathetic communication – without which we become emotionally disconnected and more predisposed towards hostile behaviour.”

Now for some fun stuff, what’s inspired you lately?

I went to an incredible gig by Susheela Raman, an extraordinary Tamil-London musician whose skill and smouldering charisma make for spellbinding, trance-inducing performances. I’ve loved her music for years, and every time I go to one of her shows, I end up on a high for days. If you ever get the chance to see her live, grab all your friends and go. She’ll blow your mind.

Susheela Raman performs “Kamakshi.”

Okay, since I know you’re a Trekkie (I’m one too), what was your favorite non-spoilery part of Star Trek Into Darkness?

I LOVED the new Star Trek!

My favourite bit was the tribble cameo. It was a cheeky nod to one of my favourite episodes, “The Trouble With Tribbles,” where someone sneaks a tribble onto the Enterprise and they multiply so fast they clog up the whole ship.

Thank you so much, Nathalie, for sharing a bit about web psychology, some beautiful music, and a couple types of geekiness with us. :)

If you’re interested in seeing more from Nathalie, she’ll be at this year’s MozCon, July 8th-10th, talking about “How Gender and Cultural Differences in Web Psychology Affect the Customer Experience.” You can also follow her on Twitter @TheWebPsych and read her book, Webs of Influence: The Psychology of Online Persuasion.

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