mobile

Not to state the obvious, but the world is going mobile. And much faster than we imagined. By 2013, the Internet will be accessed more often by mobile devices than by desktop computers. Talk about brands on the run! So what is your next step? Should you run to the garage and create an app to add to the millions already out there? We think not. Your next move is to create a mobile version of your site. Inside, you’ll find a quick overview of the mobile world and a decision making guide. Our goal? To help you choose a smart approach to smart phones and more.

Mobile Means Untethered.

We got our first experience of being untethered with phones, an experience that allowed us to walk, talk, chew gum and whatever else we wished with a phone in hand. Mobile means handheld. If we are going to move around with freedom, then we need a device that is lightweight and easy to handle. Today’s phones could, in fact, be much smaller and still make calls. Ironically, the devices are getting larger. Why?

Mobile Means Connected.

We quickly asked to be connected to more—more people, more devices and more servers, more information. In a spiraling feedback loop, customers ask for more and manufacturers deliver. With high speed, we can serve up change as fast as software can be developed to feed our demand. We can use our handhelds to navigate. Not only are we connected, we are positioned/oriented in space.

Mobile Means Browsing.

Communication now includes impersonal communication person-to-company, buyer-to-seller and seller-to-buyer. But the buying experience is clumsy via mobile. We can gather information and execute a limited series of tasks on a mobile phone.

Mobile Will Come to Mean Creating.

We can manage our email, but even that is a pain if a lengthy response is required. We can read some attachments, but we usually cannot edit or modify them easily. So, we are still tethered to our laptops for real work. Is the iPad the device we were missing? The bigger-than-Blackberry (or even iPhone) workstation that is lighter and smaller than the laptop? Not yet.

Mobile Means You Have Real Responsibilities Now!

Your website will soon be viewed from a mobile device more often than it will from a desktop. Ask yourself, What is the experience of my website on a handheld device? Remember, a mobile site is not a mobile app! Your e-alerts will soon be viewed mobiley and your newsletters and marketing promotions via mobile. Here’s how to make the most of your responsibilities.