The Business of Branding: Going Mobile ' A Marketing Must

Did you know that over half a billion people use smartphones to surf the Web every day? In 2008, there were 150,000 mobile websites worldwide. Last year, there were more than 3 million. Mobile websites, sometimes referred to as “mobis,” are here to stay and are fast becoming one of the dominant ways users access content.

Morgan Stanley predicts that by 2014, more people will access the Internet from mobile devices than from computers. According to Google's recent study, “The Mobile Movement: Understanding Smartphone Users,” nine out of ten smartphone searches results in an action (purchasing, visiting a business, etc.). When you look at statistics like these, having a mobile website is no longer a maybe, it's a must.

Mobile Websites vs. Apps

An important distinction to make is that a mobile website is not an app. This may sound silly to most smartphone users, but for many professional services marketers, the difference isn't that obvious. Here are a few points that will help break it down. One difference is that apps are made for one kind of mobile device and have to be downloaded and added to the individual's smartphone. In other words, you are asking people to make a commitment by downloading an app. A mobile website is accessed through a browser, such as Safari. As an extension of your brand, a mobile website is an abbreviated version of your main website, making it easier and more efficient for the smartphone user to navigate.

While a well-developed, engaging app can prove to be beneficial from a brand's perspective, there are a couple of drawbacks. Many are not developed for every operating system or every smartphone. You need to understand your audience and make that strategic development move. For instance: Did you know that Apple has over 360,000 apps (iPhone & iPad) available? Perhaps not an alarming statistic, but something to ponder. Digital Trends research has shown that 26% are only used once. In addition, if your firm does not integrate your app into your marketing plan, how will people find it? Give it a try, type in “law firm” in your iTunes store and see what AmLaw 200 firms appear. My guess is that you will not find many or any. There is a reason for that ' Many of these firms develop apps for their blogs (i.e., Arnold & Porter's Consumer Advertising Law Blog). As a client or prospect, I am expected to download individual apps for blogs, while taking up precious space on my smartphone. The thing is, I can also get these blogs from a well-developed mobile website.

Unlike apps, mobile websites can be visited by any person who can access the Internet from his or her phone or tablet device. In other words, mobile websites are practically universal, while apps are not. Nobody is excluded from learning about your company or interacting with it on a mobile website like they may with an app.

The mobi vs. app debate will continue to go on, but one thing is for certain: It doesn't matter whether a firm offers a mobile website or application, what matters is that you make your content engaging and easily accessible.

Mobile-Friendly vs. Mobile Website

What is the difference between a mobile-friendly website vs. mobile website? A mobile-friendly website is one that is HTML-based and that doesn't contain flash. This type of website is viewable on a smartphone, but it is not necessarily optimized for that type of use. The user is required to pinch to zoom, scroll left and right, etc., to get to a comfortable viewing size.

A mobile-”optimized” website is one that is designed specifically for a smartphone, not a desktop, laptop or even a tablet. A mobile website is optimized for a much smaller screen and doesn't require that someone pinch to zoom or scroll left and right. It is is built to be efficient and effective.

Remember, if your website is flash-based or has any flash elements, it falls into neither of these categories. Instead, it is in the “non-viewable, non-user-friendly” category.

Creating an Effective Mobile Website

Creating a mobile website that can accomplish the same goals as your main website can be tricky. First, you need to realize that the user's objective is most likely different on a smartphone then on a desktop computer. In order for your mobile website to achieve Web success, your mobile marketing strategy might need some re-thinking:

Start with Architecture

Before you create a mobile version of your website, you need to look at the site's architecture. This will help you decide what information is important to your audience's needs. Look at the navigation. Are all menu items vital to the user? Shorten the copy by putting yourself in their shoes. Would you read someone's entire bio from your smartphone? It may mean eliminating some of the fluff so that it's easier for users to digest. Remember, viewers have short attention spans, so you need to decrease the number of pages. Make sure to include mobile-specific links like a “contact” page. One of the main reasons users visit your site via their mobile devices is to either e-mail you, look for your phone number, or to find your office address.

Short, Sweet and Simple

Keep the navigation simple and built for efficiency, because speed is everything to smartphone users. The design should stay within your branding style, images should be optimized for quick loading, and the content scaled to provide an even more effective user experience.

Social Media, Yes

Even though you may incorporate social media feeds into your mobile website, your audience still needs to be able to find links on your website as well. Be sure to put links such as LinkedIn on each person's bio page or your firm's Facebook or Twitter page icons on the contact page. These buttons should be there, but not on the home page. You don't want the viewer to leave your mobi so quickly.

Test on Multiple Smartphones

Test the mobile website on a variety of smartphones. What looks good on an Android phone may not display well on an iPhone or BlackBerry ' just as some websites don't translate well on all desktop browsers. Even though technology is improving every day, it is important to note that some older mobile devices do not support downloading content in certain formats. What might appear on the iPhone is the mobi version, while on an older BlackBerry, the “full site” may show up. Browser compatibility is still the main issue limiting mobi viewing capability. In developing the mobile site, it is key to have it tested on multiple browsers and mobile devices to ensure optimum performance. In some cases, it may make sense to develop more than one mobile website to reach your audience with different smartphones.

Measure Results

Just like your main website, make sure you have the ability to track analytics. This way you can quickly figure out how much traffic you're getting from smartphones. Measuring your mobile audience is extremely important and vital to your online marketing success. Being informed about what devices your target audience use will affect your mobile website design decisions. For example, if your mobile audience is 90% Android and iPhone, you shouldn't worry too much about compatibility for the old BlackBerry.

Conclusion

Transitioning a full website to a mobile website is one of the most important and strategic moves that firms are making. According to studies, mobile websites could easily be considered the fastest-growing segment in the digital space today. And if done correctly and strategically, it could be extremely profitable. Mobile websites are quickly becoming an essential part of the Web marketing mix ' no longer an option, but a must. Your clients and prospects are on the go and they need the flexibility of mobile access. Audiences are going to visit your website on their smartphones whether or not you do something about it. The question is, will you take the necessary steps to grow your brand and embrace the mobile revolution?

Jeff Roberts is the founder and creative director at Moir' Marketing Partners, and may be reached at [email protected]. Connect with him on LinkedIn and Twitter (@jeffreymroberts).

Did you know that over half a billion people use smartphones to surf the Web every day? In 2008, there were 150,000 mobile websites worldwide. Last year, there were more than 3 million. Mobile websites, sometimes referred to as “mobis,” are here to stay and are fast becoming one of the dominant ways users access content.

Morgan Stanley predicts that by 2014, more people will access the Internet from mobile devices than from computers. According to Google's recent study, “The Mobile Movement: Understanding Smartphone Users,” nine out of ten smartphone searches results in an action (purchasing, visiting a business, etc.). When you look at statistics like these, having a mobile website is no longer a maybe, it's a must.

Mobile Websites vs. Apps

An important distinction to make is that a mobile website is not an app. This may sound silly to most smartphone users, but for many professional services marketers, the difference isn't that obvious. Here are a few points that will help break it down. One difference is that apps are made for one kind of mobile device and have to be downloaded and added to the individual's smartphone. In other words, you are asking people to make a commitment by downloading an app. A mobile website is accessed through a browser, such as Safari. As an extension of your brand, a mobile website is an abbreviated version of your main website, making it easier and more efficient for the smartphone user to navigate.

While a well-developed, engaging app can prove to be beneficial from a brand's perspective, there are a couple of drawbacks. Many are not developed for every operating system or every smartphone. You need to understand your audience and make that strategic development move. For instance: Did you know that Apple has over 360,000 apps (iPhone & iPad) available? Perhaps not an alarming statistic, but something to ponder. Digital Trends research has shown that 26% are only used once. In addition, if your firm does not integrate your app into your marketing plan, how will people find it? Give it a try, type in “law firm” in your iTunes store and see what AmLaw 200 firms appear. My guess is that you will not find many or any. There is a reason for that ' Many of these firms develop apps for their blogs (i.e., Arnold & Porter's Consumer Advertising Law Blog). As a client or prospect, I am expected to download individual apps for blogs, while taking up precious space on my smartphone. The thing is, I can also get these blogs from a well-developed mobile website.

Unlike apps, mobile websites can be visited by any person who can access the Internet from his or her phone or tablet device. In other words, mobile websites are practically universal, while apps are not. Nobody is excluded from learning about your company or interacting with it on a mobile website like they may with an app.

The mobi vs. app debate will continue to go on, but one thing is for certain: It doesn't matter whether a firm offers a mobile website or application, what matters is that you make your content engaging and easily accessible.

Mobile-Friendly vs. Mobile Website

What is the difference between a mobile-friendly website vs. mobile website? A mobile-friendly website is one that is HTML-based and that doesn't contain flash. This type of website is viewable on a smartphone, but it is not necessarily optimized for that type of use. The user is required to pinch to zoom, scroll left and right, etc., to get to a comfortable viewing size.

A mobile-”optimized” website is one that is designed specifically for a smartphone, not a desktop, laptop or even a tablet. A mobile website is optimized for a much smaller screen and doesn't require that someone pinch to zoom or scroll left and right. It is is built to be efficient and effective.

Remember, if your website is flash-based or has any flash elements, it falls into neither of these categories. Instead, it is in the “non-viewable, non-user-friendly” category.

Creating an Effective Mobile Website

Creating a mobile website that can accomplish the same goals as your main website can be tricky. First, you need to realize that the user's objective is most likely different on a smartphone then on a desktop computer. In order for your mobile website to achieve Web success, your mobile marketing strategy might need some re-thinking:

Start with Architecture

Before you create a mobile version of your website, you need to look at the site's architecture. This will help you decide what information is important to your audience's needs. Look at the navigation. Are all menu items vital to the user? Shorten the copy by putting yourself in their shoes. Would you read someone's entire bio from your smartphone? It may mean eliminating some of the fluff so that it's easier for users to digest. Remember, viewers have short attention spans, so you need to decrease the number of pages. Make sure to include mobile-specific links like a “contact” page. One of the main reasons users visit your site via their mobile devices is to either e-mail you, look for your phone number, or to find your office address.

Short, Sweet and Simple

Keep the navigation simple and built for efficiency, because speed is everything to smartphone users. The design should stay within your branding style, images should be optimized for quick loading, and the content scaled to provide an even more effective user experience.

Social Media, Yes

Even though you may incorporate social media feeds into your mobile website, your audience still needs to be able to find links on your website as well. Be sure to put links such as LinkedIn on each person's bio page or your firm's Facebook or Twitter page icons on the contact page. These buttons should be there, but not on the home page. You don't want the viewer to leave your mobi so quickly.

Test on Multiple Smartphones

Test the mobile website on a variety of smartphones. What looks good on an Android phone may not display well on an iPhone or BlackBerry ' just as some websites don't translate well on all desktop browsers. Even though technology is improving every day, it is important to note that some older mobile devices do not support downloading content in certain formats. What might appear on the iPhone is the mobi version, while on an older BlackBerry, the “full site” may show up. Browser compatibility is still the main issue limiting mobi viewing capability. In developing the mobile site, it is key to have it tested on multiple browsers and mobile devices to ensure optimum performance. In some cases, it may make sense to develop more than one mobile website to reach your audience with different smartphones.

Measure Results

Just like your main website, make sure you have the ability to track analytics. This way you can quickly figure out how much traffic you're getting from smartphones. Measuring your mobile audience is extremely important and vital to your online marketing success. Being informed about what devices your target audience use will affect your mobile website design decisions. For example, if your mobile audience is 90% Android and iPhone, you shouldn't worry too much about compatibility for the old BlackBerry.

Conclusion

Transitioning a full website to a mobile website is one of the most important and strategic moves that firms are making. According to studies, mobile websites could easily be considered the fastest-growing segment in the digital space today. And if done correctly and strategically, it could be extremely profitable. Mobile websites are quickly becoming an essential part of the Web marketing mix ' no longer an option, but a must. Your clients and prospects are on the go and they need the flexibility of mobile access. Audiences are going to visit your website on their smartphones whether or not you do something about it. The question is, will you take the necessary steps to grow your brand and embrace the mobile revolution?

Jeff Roberts is the founder and creative director at Moir' Marketing Partners, and may be reached at [email protected]. Connect with him on LinkedIn and Twitter (@jeffreymroberts).