Pulse of the Mobile Web - make sure your business is ready
 Mobile. It’s the next “game changer” on the internet. Mobile browsing still represents a fairly small portion of overall internet use but its impact is changing rapidly. It is the next platform on the horizon.
Well over 80% of the U.S. Population carries a mobile phone ALL THE TIME. We don’t give any other device that level of prominence in our life. Our dependence increases. Demands we place on this faithful companion increase. Research shows our desire to access the internet mobily (there’s a new one Webster) exceeds the capability of most web sites.
Mobile facts:
- In a 2009 survey, 20% of Americans access the internet using their cell phone. In 2007, there were only 11%. That’s a 75% increase in a short two year span (source: Pew Internet & American Life Project).
- There are more mobile-only U.S. households today than landline only U.S. households.
- Mobile browsing features available on a phone is the number one factor that influences which phone people will buy.
Is your company ready?
Having a mobile strategy extends beyond making sure your site comes up on a cell phone. In fact, if you have an IPhone or Blackberry, chances are likely you’ll be able to pull up your web site on it. Give it a shot.
The problem is that it will pull up the site as a tiny replica of your full site. And that’s not what mobile users want.
Research shows that people are not just browsing around on their phones. They are seeking very specific information. And they are not the least bit interested in pretty graphics. In fact, they hate ‘em.
Think about what information on your web site should be mobile. It’s likely not the “about us” or “Intro from the CEO” section. Think about your contact information, directions to your stores, a friendly search feature, store or office hours, list of weekly specials or the list of hot items in your online store.
Once you know what mobile users need, the next steps are mobile design and implementation. Implemented properly, your web site can detect (or “sniff” as we call it) to see if the device looking at the site is a mobile device. If it is, we deliver the mobile pages and related content. If it’s not a mobile device, they see your normal site.
Below is a sample of the normal site and the mobile equivalent.
As always, hope this has been helpful. Don’t hesitate to contact your BĒM Account Manager if you would like to discuss this topic in more detail.
Malinda Pengelly
President
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