Mobile Presence: App or Website?

(Today’s guest post is by mobile specialist Bruce Nowjack.)

Willie Sutton said he robbed banks because “That’s where the money is!”

We go where the customers are. That’s the reality of being in business. Mobile is where the customers are, or soon will be.  When you’re looking at a mobile presence, you have two choices: to create a mobile application or do a mobile website. Using QUANTITATIVE and QUALITATIVE approaches, let’s evaluate what to do, whether app or website.

From a QUANTITATIVE standpoint, the issue is whether customers are using mobile.  They are. Some facts to back this up –

• Mid-2010 over 30% of US wireless customers used smartphones.
• “eMarketer” states that over 85M US customers access the mobile web.
• Gartner predicts mobile devices will be the “first screen” for customer access….by 2013!
• There are more mobile phones in the world than PCs.  The smartphone share of this pervasive mobile market continues to grow at a significant pace.

From a QUALITATIVE standpoint the question is how do you want to support your customers?  There is much discussion about “an app for that.”However, those discussions cover a lot of territory and lack focus. Mobile apps are a complicated approach when you consider –

• Devices have different operating systems. The four (4) major systems for smartphones comprise only 30% of the device market.  The remaining 70% is much more fragmented.
• Mobile app stores proliferate, whether device oriented, Carrier, or Independent. Getting shelf space for your app is only half the problem. Getting attention for your app is the other and much bigger problem.
• What does an app buy you over the mobile web? Camera access, GPS, game-quality graphics, and other device-specific tools. So far, not much. Not much unless you have a very sophisticated solution that is highly desired by your app audience.

Focus your mobile presence on a website

The mobile website provides a solid set of functionality without all of the hassles of differing operating environments (though you’ll still have to test for browser compatibility, just as with your existing website).

Whether you know it or not, you already have a mobile site. It just might not be very good.

Have you checked your website statistics to see how many people are accessing your site from mobile platforms?  If that doesn’t get your attention, look at your current website on a few different mobile devices. Does it render well?  Can you read it without pinching and zooming?  Can you easily access, in one or two clicks, information that you want on the go?

How will people use your mobile site, versus your internet-based site? It’s important to understand that mobile is not the same environment. Mobile devices are not used as a replacement for a PC. Mobile devices are used for communicating, and …

• Socializing
• Saving time
• Killing time

Mobile users expect focused, short messages. The PC-based approach is lengthy, in-depth information.  Think of use of the mobile website as akin to a brief conversation versus the internet-based documentaryof a standard website.

Time is of the essence. Attention spans are short. Your mobile site is accessed when the mobile user has a few minutes to spare. Make sure they get the most out of that glimpse. That glimpse has to make an impact, be worthwhile. Determine, anticipate and prioritize what your customers may want to accomplish with you during these short access points, and at various times throughout the day.  Your customer is a moving target, and you’ve got to keep your focus. Provide a great experience and you will be rewarded. That great customer experience can be leveraged for more functionality!

Mobile website basics –

• Maintain brand consistency. This is another channel for you, not a new world.Maintain brand consistency. This is another channel for you, not a new world.
• Remember the basics of making it easy for search engines to find you.
• Design the website for performance. Make sure it loads well, cleanly and quickly.
• Not all tools will present well on all devices. Example: Flash sites will not load on iPhones.
• Accept your limitations. They’re temporary! Times are changing.

Make an entry into the mobile web.

Learn. Adapt. Get there with your customers and prospects. Your choices are to clear the path, or emulate your competitors.

Bruce Nowjack is a mobile specialist with significant experience ranging from Fortune 100s to startups, a solid track-record in telecom and emerging mobile technologies which includes working with T-Mobile, Sprint, SprintPCS, and Telefonica. Bruce’s focus is within the product management and project management domains, clearing the path for win-win. His insights, diplomacy and innovation have brought solutions to a fresh level, anticipating needs and driving products forward. An active Board Member of the Product Management Consortium, Bruce founded the first Seattle Product Camp.

Contact: brucenowjack@earthlink.net, Twitter at @NWGuy, www.linkedin.com/in/brucenowjack