Taking your Company Mobile

Smart phones and tablets alike travel everywhere with consumers. These devices have replaced many analogue tools for consumers and are continuing to grow in usage. Therefore, a company selling a widget or a service needs a mobile site to capture the attention of the mobile consumer. One of the best examples of a company using this to their advantage is Amazon. Amazon sells the Kindle Fire tablet at a loss, just so they can have a channel dedicated to targeting consumers and selling digital media. Now that you know the benefits of having mobile sites, here are two important topics to consider:

Interface:

The interface of the site is as crucial on mobile sites as it is on desktop sites. Some would even argue that it is more difficult to create a suitable mobile site. The interface, or what is commonly known as the look and feel of your site, must have a fluid design. The menus must be simple and quickly navigable to allow for people to easily access the information they are seeking. If your mobile site requires the user to zoom in and out to navigate, most users will become frustrated and leave the site. You have a short time to capture the consumers’ attention and convey the message you want them to see. Not doing this correctly can sometimes even drive users to a competitor’s site that is easier to navigate on a mobile device.

Selecting the appropriate information for your mobile site:

Not every piece of information that is contained on your desktop site is needed on your mobile site. You have to approach this question from the perspective of the mobileconsumer. What is a consumer looking for on your site while using his/her mobile device? Will they be looking for the history of the company or the price of a product? There is not a ‘one size fits all’ solution to this aspect of building a mobile site. Some companies are completely on the web. Others who have the brick and mortar location may want to list their address with a Google Maps or Mapquest link so the consumer can find their business while on the go.

I took a business trip to St. Louis last month, and after I got checked into the hotel, I was hungry from traveling all day. I also needed to get my suit steamed at Men’s Wearhouse. So I got on my phone and looked up the closest location, put it into the navigation on my phone, and headed out from the hotel. While waiting on my suit, I looked at restaurant reviews, menus, and pricing on my phone. I settled on a place, got some dinner, then headed back to my hotel. Ten years ago, this process would have required more help from the hotel staff; however with current technology, I was able to seek out and find exactly what I wanted, and I never had to pull out my laptop or ask the concierge. I was a consumer in a market that I was unfamiliar with, and I needed services. The services I found had the mobile presence which enabled me to find them and become one of their customers. The information I needed was easy to find, and I used one tool that a growing portion of the population uses: my smart phone with a data connection. Had the restaurant not been online, I would not have been able to find them, nor would I have been able to determine if their menu was in the price range I wanted.

When you become ready to create your mobile site, enlist the help of a reputable company that has the team you need on your side, developing not only your web presence, but your mobile presence as well. Here at Skynet, we have a world-class team that will get your company noticed by the consumers you want. Contact me anytime via email. I can also be reached through our contact page.

(Source: Skynet Solutions)

By Joe Hart