Is your website viewable on mobile devices?

By 2013, more people will be accessing the web from mobile phones than from PCs, according to analyst firm Gartner’s latest set of predictions.

The company reckons that there will be 1.78 billion PCs in use that year, outstripped by the 1.82 billion install base of smartphones and browser-equipped feature phones.

“Websites not optimized for the smaller-screen formats will become a market barrier for their owners,” claims Gartner. “Much content and many sites will need to be reformatted/rebuilt.”

At first, I thought this fantasy – but when you consider what is happening in the mobile phone industry today with smart phone technology, I believe this is where our efforts as web designers and developers will be. Technologies such as M-commerce, location based services, mobile banking, information services, mobile vouchers, coupons and loyalty cards are already in advanced stages of release and many in use today.

For the general ‘company’ website, ensuring your site is optimised for mobile web browsing will become increasingly important. Some important questions need to be considered :- Can customers navigate your site by touch? –  Can they use your online map on a mobile?  - Are unsupported technologies like Flash in use? – Do you have a mobile template for your site? – Can you make use of other installed apps? …

The transition for most websites from PC based browsing to mobile device browsing isn’t rocket science. If you are operating a fully content managed site, a dual template is pretty much all that is needed in the short term. Although there are often other challenges to meet and a longer term strategy to consider…

If you would like to discuss your strategy to stay ahead with the mobile generation, please don’t hesitate to talk to David on 01647 433 475 or email me.

QRC – serious marketing tool or gimmick?

Quick Response Codes (QRC) were developed in the automotive industry to track parts. You may well have seen these in use on the back of receipts, on hoardings or on printed collateral and advertising – but what are they?

The QR Code is basically a bar code format that can be automatically read by mobile phone cameras. Built in apps recognise the code and link the viewer to a webpage, telephone number, video clip, music file, or text message. They have become very popular in Japan and are fast becoming the next hot marketing tool for the mobile generation.

Given the surge in smartphones and the Gartner predictions for web browsing (see below), I suggest you may well see more and more QRCs on products, literature, advertising, business cards, stationery, tickets, invitations…  They are easy to implement and quite intriguing.

QR Codes have been put to various uses over recent months, from helping conferences run more efficiently to linking t-shirt labels to MP3 files. Now German company Qkies have given the QR Code the edible treatment, combining them with cookie mix to create munch-able personalised messages.

Qkies — a cooperative project of Juchem Gruppe, a German food trade company, and DFKI, the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence — can be used as a playful alternative for a variety of things, from party invitations to business cards. Consumers make and bake the cookies before decorating them with the enclosed QR Codes, printed on edible paper. The recipient of the cookies scans the QRC with their phone to be directed to either a video on YouTube, a photo on Flickr or a personalized web page containing a specific message, as dictated by the sender.

So  – gimmick or serious marketing tool?

Ultimately it’s going to depend on how this technology is used, I’m sure we’ll see plenty of gimmicks. However, QRC uses a intrinsic part of human nature – curiosity. I know I can’t help myself when it comes to using newfound gadgets and QR Codes are intriguing.

Brands are continually competing for our attention. We are going to see a lot more QR Codes in general advertising – and perhaps not just advertising, but instances where information can be linked from printed matter, such as: timetables – find out when the next bus is due, brochures – link through to up-to-date information, concert advertising – link through to immediate booking. The creative solutions are endless. Worth considering for your next campaign?  Talk to us.

An interesting prediction

Gartner predicts that there will be 1.78 billion PCs in use in 2013, outstripped by the 1.82 billion install base of smartphones and browser-equipped feature phones.

“Websites not optimized for the smaller-screen formats will become a market barrier for their owners,” claims Gartner. “Much content and many sites will need to be reformatted/rebuilt.”