Read full article: http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/opinion/columns/12931.html

Some Highlights:

• Smaller screen, shorter attention spans.  Keep it short, simple and punchy.
• Create a message with simple copy and links that take users to optimized, relevant content that is device specific.  If your potential customer is viewing your email via their mobile device, then the landing page they are sent to should also be optimized for mobile and not a cumbersome desktop landing page.
• Time of day makes a big impact on how and when email is read, meaning that brands need to think ahead about which platform consumers will be opening and reading an email on.  It’s important to recognize that access to email starts earlier in the day – large percentages of people check email on a phone before they even get out of bed – and ends later in the day

http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/email/12929.html

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/174186/flurry-photovideo-fastest-growing-app-category.html?edition=46610

This space is moving so quickly and it’s certainly hard to keep up, however it’s imperative that you ensure that the people out there looking for you (regardless of device) are going to find what they are looking for and have a good experience with your online brand.

I wanted to find out more about the repercussions of not having a mobile website today so I reached out to CMGDigital’s web design expert, Jeff Jahn.  I asked Jeff to provide me with the top reasons to have a website that is optimized for mobile and have provided his response below:

Top 5 Reasons to Optimize for Mobile:

1. Bad First Impression, Rocky Engagement:  Slow loading times, lack of features, broken features, difficult to find stuff, difficult to see and click stuff…these are the top complaints of smartphone owners who are trying to access business websites via their phone or tablet.
2. You Will Lose Potential Customers:  It really boils down to usability.   If the site doesn’t work on a mobile phone due to flash or just a bad design, you’ve not only lost a potential customer, there’s a good chance they’ll never be back. Even current customers are less likely to buy or call again if they can’t get what they need from your site.
3. They Leave Before Knowing Who You Are:  Setting aside the ones who will just leave due to the experience, consider the others who may never even realize that you offer a product or service, because it was too hard to find on your site using their phone, tablet or computer.
4. Not Sealing the Deal:   Also, consider how difficult it is to contact the business on most non-mobile friendly sites. Usually the phone number can’t be clicked, the address is hidden and there’s no way to get directions.  You just lost a conversion.
5. Zero Visibility:  Website visitors = potential leads and new customers.  If your mobile website is poorly formed or non-existant, then you will not have the ability to see what users are doing on your mobile site.   For example, we can tell every time someone “clicks to call” on a mobile site  developed by CMGDigital. Most platforms can’t do that at all, even mobile website platforms, meaning there’s no way to find out whether the mobile site is resulting in online conversions.

In Summary:  A good mobile website is simple and effective with a “less is more” approach; has easy to navigate, mobile friendly content; clear call to action for conversions  and is built on a platform that allows analytics and visibility.

Not sure if you are up to snuff?  Give us a call for a complimentary website analysis!

By the year 2014, the majority of all web usage will be on a mobile device.  Last year, we saw huge shifts in online behavior as mobile usage skyrocketed.

For the purpose of this post, we’ll focus in on tablets.  I read an article this morning via eMarketer.com that gave some useful insights into consumer expectations for businesses online in the mobile space.

Article Highlights

• Consumers are acquiring tablets in droves—eMarketer estimates that the number of tablet users in the US alone will climb to 89.5 million in 2014, from 54.8 million this year.
• Expectations for the online browsing experience are high - seven out of 10 respondents expected that websites would load at least as fast on tablets as they would on PCs.
• Consumers are dissatisfied with their experiences on the tablet.  41% said they encountered major problems while trying to browse websites via tablet.
• The poll  found that some consumers were ready to give up on the sites when they hit performance problems—49% of those surveyed said they would be less likely to visit a problematic site again, and 46% said they would visit a competitor’s site instead. One-third would be less likely to purchase from the company in the future, and 12% said they would turn to social media to spread the word about web-browsing problems.

The Takeaway?  Make sure your website is optimized for the mobile device.

CMGDigital Local Solutions has web design services that include mobile.  If you don’t have a web design partner, give us a call!

The automaker has released a mobile app (Chevy Game Time) for the iOS and Android operating systems that lets fans answer trivia questions and polls in exchange for a shot at winning some prizes, including 20 new Chevy cars. First, users are automatically entered to win a Chevy Camaro convertible by simply registering on the app after it has been downloaded. They are also provided a unique “license plate number.” If a user sees his or her number on one of the Chevy ads during the Super Bowl, they win that featured car. Additional rewards offered on the app include promotions and deals from companies like Papa John’s, Motorola and Bridgestone. The app is free to download.

I’m looking forward to seeing the results after the big game!

http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/messaging/11808.html

Millions more people are using mobile devices to get online every day. Does your business have a mobile-friendly site? If not—or if you’re not sure—you’ve come to the right place to get started.

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Read More via Mobile Marketer

Mike’s Hard Lemonade is launching a Halloween promotion including a Facebook application where consumers can “zombify” photos and share them on their page.

The “Keep the Party Screaming” campaign — conceived and created by AgencyNet, Mike’s Hard Lemonade digital agency of record — is the latest effort in a program to encourage consumers to think of the flavored malt beverage for year-round occasions, not just for summertime consumption.

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=159668&nid=131775