Both mobile as a new medium, and a much deeper expectation of websites by very sophisticated users, means designers have to think in new dimensions, the experience and journey of the user being key.

Mobile Apps & Websites

We seriously urge clients to let us do a mobile version of their website. They may pooh pooh the proliferation of mobile devices but we know at the very least someone’s going to be sitting in their parking lot and pull your site up to check on your suite number.

This medium is entirely different, not just smaller. The way in which or reasons people use mobile devices is very different then how they use their computers. For example, they are more likely to be looking up your suite number than doing full research on your company, so optimize that contact page!

Adobe didn’t just create touch versions of their Creative Suite Tools, they said ‘what will creative people actually be doing on an iPad, in a mobile setting? Sketching ideas, presenting designs to clients – not building websites or print brochures.’ They created tools that made sense in-situ.

Websites With Depth

Designers and website architects must think this way as well – what are people most likely to be doing on our site, on specific pages in our site if on a mobile device? How do we reduce content and make the design and navigation work best for the mobile browser, and champion the brand experience?

Whether browsing on a personal computer or on a tablet, people expect more from them than digital brochures. They want to watch videos, participate and interact. They want to find interesting and helpful information in different ways. They don’t want to just read, but even control their experience as much as they do everything else on their smart phones.

If they are on this particular page, what are they likely looking for, where might they want to go next? Are they ready to take some sort of action? How do you design the thing to encourage them to take that action (big red button or small green one)? This is true for regular websites as well, but the path and experience is likely different on mobile.

Engage Your Visitors

It’s important to remember this is all part of your best prospects’ experience and engagement with your brand. Technology offers so much opportunity to offer more online than we can in print, to customize pages and experiences. We can offer a new dimension of experience with your brand, we just have to think through what they’re looking for and the journey.

I don’t want to do my online banking on my iPhone, but I want an app that helps me find the nearest bank machine using GPS. And it better look like I expect my bank to look or I won’t trust it.