Are you investing time and money to boost your business’s marketing efforts this year? I have two suggestions. One, if you haven’t already, improve your mobile optimization by making it more mobile friendly. And two, if you haven’t used video, give it a shot. Statistics bear me out on why it makes sense to put extra effort into these areas.

The Case for Mobile Optimization

Most of us use mobile devices to access the web

Nearly 80 percent of internet users worldwide use a mobile device to access the web. We access not only websites but social networks–nearly everyone who uses Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Snapchat uses a mobile device.

Mobile friendly websites look sharp and are speedy.

An added benefit to mobile friendly websites? When done well–typically by a professional web design firm–they are not only fast, but are modern and visually appealing. They make your 2008-era website seem like a Model A Ford.

Some points to consider as you go mobile.

Navigate by scrolling. Mobile pages are all about scrolling. It’s the natural way to navigate from a mobile device.

Reduce file size of photos and art. Your photos and art will need some reformatting to work on small screens.

Edit your copy. Most of the time, our websites are too copy heavy. The short headlines and concise content that mobile requires make our websites better as we pare down information to what’s essential.

Shorten the load time. If your designer isn’t concerned about load time, you must be. The faster you make your site, the fewer viewers you lose. Studies have shown that if a site takes 5 seconds or more to load, 80 percent of users will exit.

People watch and remember videos.

If you haven’t used videos, start. If you are, use them more because in just two years, some 80 percent of the world’s internet traffic will be video driven, experts say. Video also is much more likely to be shared, which greatly expands exposure to your messages. Nearly three-quarters of the B2B businesses that use video to market say they get a good return on investment.

Some preliminary points about using video.

Use it wisely. Video is a great option for a how-to, behind-the-scenes looks at a process, a product comparison, an interview with a thought leader, or a visit to a tradeshow. Don’t use it to create messages that are blatant promotions or ads. You must share information that clients value.

Keep it brief. The first thing I look at when I click on a video is the length. More than 5-6 minutes? I don’t have time. Neither do your customers.

Write a script and post the audio transcript. Your video won’t be an Academy Award contender, but you should still produce a script and have others review it to ensure key points are covered. Transcribe the audio and post it along with the video. Some will prefer to read instead of watch; also, search engines don’t search audio, but they will key on the transcription.