I have a Blackberry and use it often. Originally it was meant to keep up with emails and activity while away from the office, but I have come to realize it is handy for some personal stuff too. Most people in our office have a smart phone, with the Blackberry or iPhone being the most popular brands. Regardless of make or model, there is one commonality among all the users of these mobile devices – they use them a lot, both for business and personal needs.
So what are they using them for? Emarketer just released this poll, indicating the types of mobile content being accessed by users:
Although mobile search is still in its infancy stage, people may belooking for your website on these devices. What type of a user experience does it cast if your website is not supported on a mobile device? I realize most companies do not have ".mobi" website constructed specifically for mobile users, but I am referencing a website that cannot be displayed at all on a mobile device. From a customer's standpoint, this is extremely frustrating, yet something that seems to be pretty common, even with bigger brands.
If you are considering a redesign, then you may be able to incorporate best practices to allow for mobile users to access the new site also. Otherwise, consider the creation of a ".mobi" website to allow access to a modified version of your site for mobile browsers. This is actually advantageous even for companies whose websites can be displayed currently, given the limited real estate displayed on a mobile user’s screen. Through a ".mobi" website, you can tailor the information and customize the display to appear much better to those users.
A recent post on MoreVisibility's SEO Blog highlights the importance of SEO for mobile sites or pages.
In summary, a few things to consider when connecting with Mobile users:
- Take a look at your site in a few different mobile browsers – how does it appear?
- If you are in the process of redesigning your website, think about modifications that can be made to support mobile users.
- If the website design/architecture is already set in place, then consider building out a ".mobi" version of your website just for those users. Consider carefully what information needs to be included on that version of the site, to keep it short, sweet and easy to read.
- When sending out email promotional offers, include a link at the very top that says "If you can’t view this email, please click here" – this way you can still engage those mobile users who will not get the intended HTML effect you planned.
