Yes, you do need to optimize your website for mobile devices.

Year after year, mobile usage is growing and it is expanding to include new formats (Apple iPad, HP Slate and the much rumored Google Tablet). The way we interact with these devices will mature as the technologies and devices develop. For now, there a few simple things to keep in mind.

First, if you have a website, then you should absolutely invest in establishing the mobile version of that site. The key to creating an effective mobile site is in the strategy. A good mobile site isn’t just a tiny version of your existing site. A good mobile site needs to focus on addressing your core marketing objectives in a way that is in keeping with the brand experience of your website but is also optimized for mobile screens.

There are two rules of thumb that we try to use as a guide in our mobile website strategy here at Overhaul Media. Both focus on the intended audience and the general tendency of most mobile users today. What we have found is that most mobile users typically fall into these two camps:

* I need information quickly. Directions to that meeting, recommendations on a nearby restaurants, where the closest bus/subway stop is, the phone number of that business, etc. These people need information quickly that’s easy to find that’s only a click away, if that. If the information is too difficult to find or executed poorly, they will move onto the next option (a.k.a. your competitor). Don’t lose your chance to grab their business.

* I have some time to waste. I am waiting for my plane, for my appointment, at my bus stop, for my friends to show up, for my meeting/class to start, at the checkout line, etc. These people want light reading that gives them the general idea, not in-depth reading. They want a series of images to look through or maybe even a light quiz or opportunity to interact with your site. Keep the content relevant, interesting, and engaging.

These basic groups also apply to online marketing campaigns. If you have a marketing campaign in your future, keep in mind that mobile users present you with an opportunity that you don’t get with your typical web audience. Mobile users typically have ‘in-between’ time. They aren’t at home or sitting at their desk tuned into the task at hand having to manage the usual distractions. They want a little distraction and they want opportunities to pick-up new information quickly in an engaging way. These people want to click so don’t leave them out of your next campaign strategy.

Okay, here are the final takeaways for you skimmers:

1. Mobile usage is rapidly growing (in case you’ve been under a rock)
2. A mobile site isn’t a tiny version of a website
3. Mobile sites optimize for a mobile screen experience
4. Make use of a mobile users’ ‘in-between time’ – include them in your strategy

When Overhaul Media started building web sites 8 years ago, most people had 15-17″ monitors and the screen resolution was 800 X 600 pixels. Since this was the most common resolution, you would make this the baseline for your design. Looking back on this now, things were so easy – you designed for one resolution and didn’t really have to worry. As the years have gone by the screens have grown, as has the baseline, now we are designing for around 1,000 pixels wide. The problem today is there are so many different ways a user could view the site, they might be on a 30″ screen, a 13″ laptop, or from their mobile phone. So, the same site that supports the 1,920 pixel-wide resolution will have to deal with the same user that has an iPhone with a 480 pixel width.

We’ll be updating this post with some more notes on how to overcome this and what best practices Overhaul Media uses.

Just got some business cards back for a local Edmonton Mortgage Investment Corporation. We actually have an entire set of printed collateral and website coming to watch out for so stay tuned!

Remember we’re here to help. We can create & deliver custom email campaigns with metrics and all kinds of other bells and whistles. Have a look here

Check it out! http://www.davehillphoto.com/

Created by London-based design studio okdeluxe, COP15 generative identity software is a Processing application created for the United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Copenhagen in 2009. The software adds dynamic, real-time movement to the logo by adding a series of parameters like flocking and flow fields.

The animation software is customizable to render out a large variety of styles and moods in formats useable for broadcast HD-TV and vector-graphics for printed media. Developed in collaboration with NR2154 and shiftcontrol.

okdeluxe is a London-based design studio producing generative graphics software & visualisation tools, user interface concepting, design and prototyping, interactive media installations & responsive environments and bespoke installations and products. Keep an eye on studio’s work in-progress here : blog

COP15 – Generative Identity Software

Whether you are selling products online or offering a service you must find a way to consistently place yourself and your business in the eyes of your audience. If a website visitor leaves behind their email address it is because they want to hear from you again. Which means simply, send them stuff! sales cycle are not what they used to be. From the time someone first comes to your website or speaks with you until they time they are ready to actually purchase something it is important to keep in contact. If already perform a regularly scheduled email marketing campaign than you are one step ahead of the game. During that potential clients thought process you will repeatedly land in their inbox with a friendly newsletter reminding them that you are still around. Chances are that potential client or customer will search around for other online businesses before they pull the trigger with yours and there is a great deal of room for distraction out there. Email marketing could help you reduce that sales cycle if done right. Even if it is only once per month it is better than not sending your email subscribers anything.

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This means for the next 5 years your email designs will need tables for layout, have no support for CSS like float and position and no background images. Not to mention the long list of bugs and quirks that break the simplest of layouts.

Outlook 2010 is still in beta and Microsoft have confirmed they want to hear your feedback on this decision. It’s time for the email marketing and design community to rally together and encourage Microsoft to embrace web standards before it’s too late.

Visit fixoutlook.org to see how you can help and what the community is saying right now.

Skimmer

Such an amazing little application. It lets you stay on top of the main social networking platforms including facebook, flickr, youtube and twitter. I cant wait until this integrates with my Google Reader or gains similar functionality. Get it here and thank me later.