2011 has shown that not only are mobile strategies effective in growing a business globally, they are imperative.
As our knowledge of mobile marketing begins to grow, so do the statistics:
* 250 million people access Facebook through a mobile device; those who access through a mobile device rather than a PC are twice as active with those brands.
o Are you utilizing your Facebook page to drive traffic to your website?
* 5.3 billion people globally use a mobile phone. China and India are leaders globally in mobile phone use.
o Is your website multilingual? You may be missing out on international clients and partnerships.
* Android phones are rapidly becoming the most widely-used Smartphone in the world.
o What platform are your applications developed under? Most developers don’t use a one-size-fits-all solution for application development.
* Over the next five years, over 2 billion people will be accessing the Internet from their mobile device.
o Does your web development include a mobile-ready web page?
* By the end of this year, 8 trillion text messages will have been sent in 2011.
o Does your marketing strategy include a mobile-marketing strategy?
*Japanese consumers are the most advanced mobile users in the world.
o Is your strategy competitive with their market?
* Shopping from a mobile device will reach $119 billion in 2015.
o Does your website have an E-commerce platform?
Transforming your national presence into a globally recognizable company requires a commitment to penetrate your brand into as many global marketing channels as possible. No longer can companies remain stagnant, in order to stay relevant in the industry, companies must rapidly adapt to changes.
The ability to make changes to your website as rapidly as trends change is imperative. In order to stand out amongst the competition, your content must be relevant – become a thought leader no matter your industry.
How to adapt to the rapidly changing global market:
1. Implement a content management system that allows you and other website administrators to make changes to the site without any need for HTML experience
2. Ensure the content management system is built in an i18n frame with Unicode elements to allow for seamless translation.
3. Research the environments of the markets you intend to enter to make certain that your multilingual marketing messages translate the same way in each language.
4. Invest in a company that supports long-tail web development efforts. Companies invested in their clients will work together to develop a long term strategy to ensure the global longevity of the site.
5. Prepare for hiring in another country. Employees will need to access your website to add changes – the content management system should have the ability to change into the user’s native language.
Ensuring your company can be found online both on mobile devices and globally empowers you to grow exponentially and create a global presence.
I actually think these are excellent tips. It seems like a lot of organizations tack on mobile versions of their websites in a “if we have time or resources” fashion when in reality it should be seen as more of a necessity, and given a much higher priority. And then there’s always the question of whether or not to actually make an app for your site/services or is a mobile friendly version of your site enough?
Thanks Jeff! Sorry I just saw your comment!!