Most enterprise brands are now putting a premium on establishing a mobile web presence. Those without a mobile strategy will surely feel a negative effect on their bottom line as more and more consumers embrace the convenience of the mobile web.
For example, a recent holiday shopping study, commissioned by Motricity, found that 64% of consumers predict they’ll use their mobile device to shop more often in 2012 than they did previously. The same study also found that 96% of respondents saw the benefits to using their mobile device for holiday shopping.
With that said, it is one thing to commit to a mobile strategy, but it’s another thing to implement it correctly. Some enterprise brands may be overlooking basic strategies to ensure a positive user experience and thus a positive return on investment.
According to a recent report from Gartner, the combined install base of smartphones and browser-equipped enhanced phones will surpass 1.82 billion units by 2013, which further strengthens the argument that mobile web browsing has or will soon surpass that of traditional desktop/laptop browsing.
For those brands that have not embraced a mobile strategy or are not implementing a program that effecitly reaches its core audience across the device spectrum, now is a critical time.
Even the biggest brands in the world can’t afford to be separated from this pack. But while companies like McDonald’s and General Motors went mobile a long time ago, you don’t have to have a massive budget in order to create a mobile-ready site.
What you do need to have is a clear understanding of what a mobile website should look like. All too often, companies attempt to mash an online experience into a mobile one. This tactic is rarely, if ever, successful given that a mobile form factor doesn’t lend itself to supporting the same online browser experience.
Ease of use is the key to any successful mobile web engagement. If consumers can’t easily and quickly find what they are looking for, they will move on. Consider the following strategies for developing an impactful mobile presence.
Touch Optimize
Smartphone users don't have a mouse, so they need to be able to easily slide or tap on an icon to get the information they want. Simplicity is the name of the smartphone game. As such, it’s important that all aspects of the user’s engagement are optimized for mobile.
Don’t Forget the Fundamentals
Even though mobile provides all sorts of opportunity to have deeper and more interactive engagement with subscribers, it’s worth remembering that first establishing customer interaction is key and you can’t assume that everyone has a smartphone. SMS remains one of the best way to do just that. Regardless of phone device type and operating system, SMS can reach all mobile subscribers making it one of the most effective ways to create engagement.
Got Apps?
Once engagement has been created, consider whether or not your company can benefit from a mobile application.
A number of large name brands have found success when they extend their mobile presence to include a mobile application. While there is a lot of upside to deeper customer engagement with a mobile app, it’s important to take the necessary time to understand the appropriate angle and goals for the app prior to development.
Go Mobile
All signs point to the fact that consumers are embracing mobile as a way of staying connected on the go, so make the investment in mobile sooner rather than later.
