Sep 1122
Why Your Organization Needs a Mobile Strategy
September 22nd, 2011
During a meeting with other CEOs last month, I noticed that nobody pulled out their laptops; instead, every person with a device was using an iPad. At least two of my clients have said they’ve turned in their laptops in favor of tablets. And a mom friend says she manages her entire household with her blackberry.
In case you hadn’t noticed, the world is going mobile. Check out these amazing statistics:
- There are 5.3 billion mobile subscribers; that’s 77% of the world’s population.
- In the US, 25% of Web users are mobile only, meaning they only they use their mobile device(s) to access the Web.
- Global tablet sales are expected to top 80 million by the end of 2012.
Which is why I think every organization needs a mobile strategy. Here are my top recommendations for getting started:
Include Mobile in All Of Your Marketing and IT Activities
Over a dozen years ago, I urged clients to be the person in the room who always said, “what about the Web?” Today, appoint yourself as the person who says, “what about mobile?” Know what tools you have available in your mobile toolbox, including mobile stylesheets, mobile sites, text messaging, and apps. Talk to your customers and ask them if, how and when they access your website and e-mails on a mobile device.
Budget for Mobile Initiatives
I believe mobile needs its own line item in your budget or it needs to added to your marketing and IT activities. For example, do you have the hardware you need to view your website on an iPad, Android phone, iPhone, iPad or Android tablet? Be sure to ask your Web partner (like Matrix Group!) to help you budget for mobile, whether it’s developing an app for your convention, designing a mobile version of your website, or using text messages to generate traffic at your exhibit hall.
Planning a Website Redesign? Plan for a Responsive Design!
Here at Matrix Group, we’re really excited about building websites that look and behave differently depending on the size, platform and orientation of the device, including widescreen monitors, standard size monitors, tablets and smartphones. Responsive Web design uses a mix of flexible grids and layouts, images and javascript to customize the experience for the device. For example, if I’m looking at a website on a smartphone, the large branding area could disappear and the horizontal navigation might turn into vertical text navigation. If your organization is thinking of redesigning your website, please consider a responsive design. You will spend more time and money on wireframes and design, but the results will be worth it. Just imagine: less pinching and squinting for smartphone users and lots of gestures and swipes on tablets.
Pay Attention To Your Mobile Stats
As always, pay attention to your usage reports. Google Analytics has a whole, new set of reports that tell you what your mobile users are doing and what devices they are on. I’m using our usage reports to figure out what functions to include in a new mobile version of our MatrixMaxx software since we don’t believe mobile users want to use ALL database function.
How about you? What’s your organization’s mobile strategy? How are you getting started? What kind of results are you seeing?
September 22nd, 2011 at 8:13 am
Yup and Yup! When building my current organization, we built it from the ground up to to enable and enhance both a mobile lifestyle for employees and our customers. All of our applications are cloud based, and we have no central office IT infrastructure.
Having your structure to support it is one thing, but attitude is the other. We need to embrace the power and flexibility that mobile brings, and also be willing to accept the constant change that this type of setup brings. As tools, platforms, and interfaces change, we need to be ready to embrace them and accept the change.
Garry