xAD’s annual Mobile Path to Purchase report has results which aren’t that surprising…
Over a third of respondents (39%) considered mobile platforms their most important research tool; a figure up from 19% just three years ago. And mobile researchers were just as likely to finalise their purchase on their device as in-store.
But this trend is something we’re keenly aware of. The more important question is whether these traits follow over to the B2B arena, or whether purchasing decisions are still made elsewhere. A good place to start is Google’s The Changing Face of B2B Marketing. Tracking the habits of influential B2B buyers over a three year period from 2012 to 2015, we can see some significant shifts in the path to purchase.
To start with, the total number of mobile queries has tripled during those three years.
Breaking that down further, they found that while 42% of researchers were now beginning their queries on mobile, nearly double the amount of users were using their device to complete the purchase too.
Of course when it comes to attracting B2B buyers, it really is a generation game, with C-suite executives traditionally less engaged with mobile. Determining where the decision-makers lie in an organisation can completely change your method of approach. But even so, a survey of 511 senior executives by Forbes entitled The Connected Executive, found that a quarter of executives had actually finalised a purchase of over $100,000 from their device. As they put it:
“Now, business leaders and decision makers — many of whom already conduct their personal day-to-day affairs on mobile devices — are recognising the capabilities their devices bring to daily business operations.”
So the simple answer is a resounding yes – mobile has a more pivotal role than ever in B2B marketing. And that role will only grow!
Your potential buyers want all the details, but in a simplistic format which is easy to access from any device. This means content-rich videos and information hubs are becoming essential marketing tools, along with apps and other interactive media. Slowly but surely, B2B is changing…
