Technology moves at a mile a minute. The first iPhone was introduced in 2007. Now, 10 years later, smartphones are practically everywhere. Our industry moves so fast that it can be hard to keep up with all the changes.

We can help you with that! Here is a roundup of the biggest trends in 2016, and what you should do about it to grow in 2017.

1) Mobile dominates.

I can’t overstate the importance of mobile for your 2017 strategy. That iPhone example is just the tip of the iceberg. Smartphones have radically changed how your customers find you online. More often than not, your customers are making their final buying decision on-the-go, rather than in front of their computers.

Having doubts? Google confirms that as of May 2016, more searches are made on mobile devices than computers. That lead will only increase as the Search Engines roll out creative new ways to engage your customers on mobile.

2) Google search was redesigned.

Google knows better than anyone the importance of mobile searches. They distribute the Android operating system for free, just to fuel more mobile searches. That investment in mobile was made even more clear when Google announced in November that it’s moving to a “Mobile First” philosophy across all of their products.

Probably the biggest immediate impact was the radical change in Google search results. Desktop results were modified to resemble mobile results. Side ads were removed, and the advertisements that remain were increased in size by 50%.

Wondering what the new Google format means for your business? Download our whitepaper on Google’s New Results Page below!

So you can see that the data shows customers moving towards smartphones, and Google is shifting towards smartphones. The writing is on the wall. How can you take advantage in the home services industry? By building a website with an awesome user experience for users on any device.

3) New ways to generate leads.

The great thing about working in the home services industry is that nothing ever stands still. This year we saw a whole host of new ways to generate leads for your business. Probably the most exciting developments were in competitive leads, from services like Home Advisor. Rolling through a slow beta testing period, Google is also entering the competitive lead space with Google Home Services.

These new services offer a flexible way for you to put your service in front of potential customers. It’s like a new advertising media, but rather than broadcasting your brand like a TV ad, you send targeted messages to people you know are interested in your product. The end result is less chaff and more booked sales.

So there you have it! Out with the old, and in with the new. The key trends over the last year point toward mobile devices being central to your marketing plan. Do you have the resources in place to take advantage, like a fast mobile website and a paid-search team that knows how to snare mobile searchers? If not, shoot us an email at tonym@spectruminc.com and we can lay out a plan for you to succeed in 2017.