Mobile Content – getting it right.

We continue to witness the explosion in the usage of mobile technology for personal and business activities and this is a trend that is certain to continue.  YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki has said that half of all YouTube traffic comes from smartphones and tablets.  This device trend has important implications for Content Marketing in terms of designing content for mobile devices and considerations for marketers on how best to deliver this.

A further point to consider is that whilst mobile devices can be an excellent platform for certain content, not all content is suitable for mobile delivery or maybe not in its current format and structure.  PDFs for example often require zooming, pinching or stretching unless the PDF has been designed for that particular device.

Also, form factor and orientation needs to be considered.  Does the device have a 4:3 form factor (such as iPADs) or a 16:9 widescreen form factor (most phones and tablets) – to further complicate matters, some devices fall somewhere between these?  Also, will your content be viewed in portrait or landscape or does it need to work for both?

Will your content be viewed online via the device browser or will it be stand alone such as an app?  Remember that not all device browsers behave equally – the use of HTML5 will certainly help which brings us to responsive websites and emails.  Responsive design not only provides a better user experience, but it also scores well with Google – helpful for website rankings.  Responsive email design, like responsive websites, adapts to the screen resolution for varying device screen sizes. It enables your emails to be viewed on desktops, tablets, and mobile devices.  You should also consider that your landing pages need to be responsive as well to continue the mobile experience for the viewer.

71% of marketers believe mobile marketing is core to their business

73% of marketers believe email marketing is core to their business

49% always/often use responsive design in emails

23% don’t know what device emails are read on

68% have integrated mobile marketing into their overall marketing

Salesforce Survey

Getting Strategic

One of the key reasons to consider your mobile strategy is to make sure you interact and engage well with prospects and customers.  But you don’t want to jump into creating a mobile marketing strategy blindly.  You need a plan and goals and most importantly, you must consider your audience.  It is also important to consider your mobile strategy alongside your total marketing strategy to ensure you have integrated campaigns and consistency.

Measurement and Analytics

Gathering useable information as part of your mobile content delivery can be very valuable.  Measuring your mobile success enables you to continue or adapt and you should consider advance frequent testing of your mobile programs and activities.

Quick Fire checklist – not an exclusive list but some key areas to consider:

• Portrait, landscape or both
• Available online or offline
• Form Factor
• Tablets, Smartphones or both
• Desktop and Laptop viewing too?
• Bandwidth requirements if online
• Bite sized delivery may be appropriate
• App based?
• Browser based?
• What channels are suitable for your audience?

This article was written to help you consider a few of the areas when considering mobile marketing.  Embracing the mobile world can be quite a challenge but we offer advice and guidance and show you some of the mobile content tools we have developed for other organisations.