Reaching Customers via Mobile
Jillian Johnson, September 20, 2012
Over the years mobile communication has drastically changed. What started as a simple hand-held mobile phone that offered a limited amount of time to talk, but the ability to be used wherever, has significantly expanded in functionality and design. Today, with their small, compact size and various technologies and features, cell phones have not only captured the interest of people everywhere, but have become an integrated part of the lives of many. From texting to sending emails, browsing the internet to playing games, people have become heavily dependent on cell phones.
According to the Pew Internet Project, 83% of American adults own a cell phone. Also, a 30-day national telephone survey completed by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project found that 44% of users access the internet using their cell phone. The survey also found that many turn to their cell phone to utilize social media sites and post content.
The silence during dinner is no longer because someone decided to spill the beans about your father's surprise birthday party. Rather, it's because everyone has their hands, eyes and attention glued to their cell phone, whether updating their Facebook status, posting a new tweet, sharing a picture of the birthday cake or checking out the restaurant's website.
While this may cause a delay in the waiter cutting the cake, passing the utensils and serving coffee, mobile technology is the perfect opportunity for the business to reach their audience. While users update their Facebook status, they can find a restaurant's Facebook page, follow the restaurant on Twitter, share photos on Pinterest, and browse a business's mobile site to learn more about the restaurant.
If you're interested in creating a mobile site to help you reach your audience, there are many factors to keep in mind.
- Keep the layout simple – While you may want to create a unique layout for your audience, remember that the site is built for a cell phone. Users want fast and convenient access to your site and easy navigation.
- Ensure your load time is prompt – All too often mobile users experience frustration because a site took too long to load on their phone. This results in users leaving your site and a potential loss in a customer.
- Avoid flashy and heavy graphics – Flashy and heavy graphics can make accessibility throughout the site difficult. Instead, focus attention on creating quality content.
- Add your social media sites – Social media sites are heavily popular today. To help you build brand awareness and socialize, add your social media sites for users to conveniently click and connect.
- Allow your mobile site to work on various types of phones – While smart phones may dominate cell phone users, remember that not everyone owns a smart phone. You should create a site that works on various types of phone to ensure you don't miss out on a potential customer.