Is Your Website a Mobile Liability or a Mobile Asset

The most common mistake made using QR codes is sending users to a website that is not optimized for mobile devices like smartphones. This results in a poor user experience and if used in marketing campaigns, a guaranteed fail.

Mobile web page check service

To help in determining how a mobile user sees your webpage on their device, QR4 has introduced two mobile device browser emulators that allow you to see what your (or your competitors) web pages look like on a Samsung i9000 and an Apple iPhone 3GS.

Use the above two mobile view services to determine if your web pages are suitable for use with mobile devices and QR codes.

If the screen view is partial, the text unreadable and navigation not clear and not easy to 'tap' on then please reconsider the use of QR codes, as you will not be doing anyone a favour by doing so, least of all yourself.

Three addional mobile phone browser emulators to test your website with:

• Symbian - Nokia emulator
• Windows Phone - HTC emulator
• RIM - BlackBerry emulator

Need advice or solutions to get your web mobile ready, then please contact us.

If your business is not mobile yet, this is your wake up call!

Why mobile is important

The explosive growth of mobile devices used on a global scale is feuled by the need of people to get information when they want it. This is why mobile marketing is an important tool to engage your customers and thus important to integrate into your marketing strategy and programs.

Effective Mobile Marketing

At present from virtually (excuse the pun) anywhere anyone can get answers and information about anything they want really fast. More searches and queries are done via mobile devices than desktop computers. This means it is important that your mobile experience meets the basic requirements people have when gathering infomation 'on the move'.

Mobile friendly

Determine if your present website is mobile friendly, if not consider getting it mobile optimized or divert to a mobile app. Just because it looks good on your (or the saleman's) device does not mean it is the same for the rest of the world and the many other types of devices in use. Test it across various devices, platforms and carriers. The goal is to get an effective and efficient experience regardless of device, browser or carrier.

Global or Local

Most searches by mobile devices are for local services or products in the direct vicinity of the user. Make sure you can be found and that your address information, a 'store locator' or (interactive) map is available. The large majority indicate to prefer the option to have direct contact via a 'push to call' to initiate a voice connection.

Fat Finger Navigation

Clear, easy and quick navigation is important. And yes, the mobile world is rodent free, there are no mice pointing devices! Make links clear and leave enough room around them for those 'misguided taps'.

It's Alive

Mobile marketing, unlike many other forms of marketing is interactive (yes, just like your website, but different). Someone took the trouble to reach you on a mobile device while on the move. It is not like an add in the paper or a banner on a website (that does not connect back), it is very real-time and very interactive. An real opportunity to interact and get and supply more information with a mobile device interested in your product or service and get that sale, or the customer coming to your store.

Mobile Facts

• 78% of mobile users will leave your website if it not mobile friendly.
• more than 60% prefer a 'direct call' option.
• 49% of successfull searches lead to a sale.
• 41% of mobile searches are for local services, products or businesses.

It's your call to get engaged with mobile marketing, don't get left behind.

"Ok, so I use a QR code and send it to my website that does not use Flash and that makes it suitable for all browsers, right?"

WRONG!

Take the example below where we compare the same website. One is a standard website the other is the same site but with adaptive technology applied making it most suitable for tablet and smartphones alike.

If your websites are not ready for the next generation you could be loosing out. Worse yet send a mobile browser to a bad site and you're compromsing the experience big time.

Mobile usage is on the rise and is no longer a market you can afford to ignore.

Some recent developments that may motivate you to get into mobile if your not yet there.

• Of the 4 billion mobile phones, 1.09 are smartphones.
• Android and Apple cover 74% of the market.
• 30% are willing to scan codes to get discount offers.
• 40% of users leaving your store without a purchase were influenced via mobile.
• 95% of mobile acitivity is located around local resources.
• Mobile usage has increased 193% since 2010.
• QR Code scanning increased 300% in 2011.
• Tablets are used an average of 14 hours per week.
• 73% of mobile users access social media apps daily.
• Web traffic via smartphones increased 105% from 2011 to 2012.
• Currently 6 billion mobile global subscribers this equals 87% of the world population.
• Google currently earns 2.5 billion dollars from mobile ads.
• 80% of searches on smartphones are spontaneous.
• 60% smartphone shopping is done at home.
• 38% of media interaction is via smartphone.

More information about adaptive mobile friendly websites can be found here. For a ready made interactive mobile framework you can easily adapt to suit your business, look at the MKB PRO offer.

Remember: QR codes are scanned by mobile devices, please ensure your web services live up to the expectations of mobile users.

What mobile marketers use to get their message to mobile markets.

A comparison between 2010 and 2011 deployed mobile marketing tactics. I'm sure that 2012 will again see an increase in the use of QR codes.

Source: Chief Marketer Mobile Marketing Survey

In 2010 no one bothered to check the use of augmented reality, so data is missing for this year.

Interesting to note is that barcode scanning is up 15% (this includes QR codes, MS tag and other proprietary barcoding technology) and outperforms any other technology used between 2010 and 2011 and I expect it to increase even more in 2012. Mobile apps are also still a popular instrument for branding and marketing.

SMS marketing that was always seen as an urgent and immediate communication channel has declined the most. Even though it is the fastest and simplest way to set up, use and to communicate to mobile devices, I can only imagine that the costs per message in combination with limited interaction and presentation options are the reason it is being abandoned by marketers.

Ideas for identity is the title of this QR code that for the QR illiterate may just look like a complex logo. But in fact it is a call for help.

The company Spiegel Communicatie & Creatie is looking for a communication adviser. Using QR codes for recruiting is nothing new anymore, in the Netherlands it is used regularly by several large companies. So what makes this one so special.

This is a serious call for a communication adviser as it appears they desperately need one.

Marketing and communication agencies in this day and age should be working with and have knowledge about new media and cross-media systems and services, including QR codes. It is always interesting to see how these tools are implemented, as it indicates the level of understanding by the way it is executed.

Breaking the golden rule: Can you read this? Can you navigate on this site?

Did someone forget to tell them that most QR codes are scanned by mobile-phones with small screens and that many only have touch screens and no other navigation options. Apparently not! Or was this done on purpose to show their ignorance and need?

If you do take the trouble to 'zoom in' and loose page oversight you see they also expect this person to be an account manager, so it is a combo job...'a creative account manager' Looking at the functional requirements for the job it would appear my expertise reaches beyond their need, however their use of QR codes clearly indicates this request for a communication adviser/account manager is desperately needed and could be a great opportunity for people who do know how to use new media systems efficiently and effectively to help this company become more efficient and effective.