It’s just about common knowledge that the majority of Americans use a smart phone these days. And chances are pretty good that in addition to at least one smart phone in the home, there is probably a tablet or two, as well. A desktop computer? Maybe not.

Mobile devices began outselling desktop computers a couple of years ago. Except for an office setting, many people don’t use a desktop to do things online. Mobile is hot, mobile is “in” and mobile is the word of the day. So, how are you incorporating mobile into your marketing strategy?

Not long ago, Google made changes to its search algorithm that gave “extra credit” to websites that are mobile-friendly. It doesn’t matter if you have a separate mobile site or have a website that automatically adapts to the device being used (a “responsive” site), as long as you have a mobile component to your site. If you don’t, you will be losing ground in the search engine results race. Your website will begin to sink lower in the rankings unless you have a mobile-friendly site.

But business owners need to do more than this, especially if you are involved in advertising online. If you use Google or Bing Pay-Per-Click ads, you can now optimize your ads for mobile devices. Because fewer ads are shown on mobile devices than on desktops, your mobile ads may cost more. But it will be worth it because there is less competition for your ads.

More than 50% of all online searches are now done from a mobile device, so making sure that your ads are showing up is important. A recent study showed that in the second quarter of 2015, 43% of Google search ad clicks came from a mobile user. Mobile devices also generate more than 60% of clicks from a social media site to a website and about 2/3 of those were from Facebook.

Website designs are also changing, as more people have smaller screens. We are seeing a move away from the traditional slider at the top of the page and more toward a vertical orientation that is more easily viewed on phones and tablets.

If you don’t have a mobile strategy yet, this is a good time to start. It is clear that mobile is here to stay and will continue to play a growing role in online business.

Oh, and for the Baby Boomers out there….sorry for the Earworm. You’ll be hearing The Who in your head for hours!