Everywhere you look someone is texting, emailing, looking up a product or Googling on their phone.  In fact, 91 percent of all US citizens have a mobile device within reach 24/7. This is why many companies are contemplating launching a mobile site if they haven’t already like www.badcreditmobiles.net/blog. But it seems even more business owners debate the value of having a second site when their traditional site can open up on a smartphone browser “just fine” and may be reluctant to spend the extra money. Well, with over 100 million smartphone users in the US alone and half of all search being performed on a mobile device, the value and necessity for a mobile web site is higher than ever.

Below are top reasons why you need to launch a mobile site to compliment your traditional website.

Content Prioritization

• Mobile browsing is all about an easy, accessible experience. In comparison to desktop web sites (which usually contain a wide range of content and information) mobile sites include only the most crucial time- and location-specific functions and features. Traditional websites are too content-heavy, complicated and usually not relevant for practical mobile use.
• Traditional websites simply can’t give mobile users what they need. They are designed to be viewed on a computer screen instead of a mobile device. This means that regular websites, while still serve a purpose, are not effective for a mobile user with broken links and cluttered information. Too much chaos on a little screen equals high bounce rates and a negative response to your company.

Rank Higher in Search

• Because of their simplicity in nature, mobile websites have higher speed, making the visitor experience more pleasurable and this means increased relevancy to search engines.
• Mobile allows you to have the advantage of coming up higher in search engine results for local searches performed on mobile devices. This means that when people search for your type of product or service using their mobile device, you can show up higher in the results just because you have a mobile website.

Increased Conversions

• A mobile site makes it easier for on the go visitors to easily access information. Conversions increase as users can contact you with one-click calling, one-click email, and instant directions. This eliminates the need for your customers to take “extra steps” in order to contact or visit your business. In the age of instant information, an extra click could mean missed opportunities.
• Integrating social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube with your mobile website is simple and will help retain your visitors and increase customer base and lead generation.
• Fact: Mobile coupons get 10 times the redemption rate of traditional coupons.

Friendly User Experience = Repeat Interaction

• Mobile sites help you attract both new and repeat customers by giving your business instant appeal when visitors land on your clean mobile site with all of the important information clearly and easily accessible.
• When users are successful in finding what they need while visiting a mobile website, they’re more likely to come back. When mobile users land on a website that is distorted, they quickly exit and make a mental note never to return.

Bottom-Line:

Your customers and potential customers are utilizing mobile for almost every aspect of their daily lives. To stay relevant and accessible you must adapt your web strategy to align with the current mobile trends, which are only going to increase. Mobile gives you the advantage over your competitors; most of which are not yet leveraging the powerful benefits of mobile marketing.

Want a free assessment of your site to know how you can improve interaction with a mobile site? Give us a call and mention this blog post to receive $200 off your new sleek, very mobile interface.

Stop.  Step back and take a look at your business, not from your point of view, but from the eyes of the consumer.  We all get wrapped up in the day-to-day operations of our business and it’s easy to overlook our appearance from the outside.  With a wealth of information at our fingertips, the first impression of a company is most often derived from its website as a person searches for a particular product or service.  As we know, first impressions are critical.  So take a moment to pull up your website and ask yourself the following questions (keep your customer in mind when doing so):  Can you find your website in a Google search for your product or service?  Is the site visually appealing?  Is the content up to date?  Can you find the information you are looking for and is it easy to navigate?  Does the overall design and layout look modern?  Compared to other sites for competing companies, would your online storefront win the business?

If your answer to any of the above questions is “no”, then perhaps it’s time to rethink your online strategy and consider a website redesign.  An out of date website can give an impression that the core of your business is outdated as well.  If you walked into a dental clinic sporting wood panel walls, orange shag carpet and an office manager on a rotary phone, would you feel comfortable asking for a root canal?  Ok, so nobody in his or her right mind would ever ask for a root canal!  My point is that this could be the best dentist around, but you would never know based on the first impression from walking into the office.  Take a moment and ask yourself this:  How do you want your business to be perceived and does your website give off this perception?

Aesthetic appeal is important and pertains to the artistic design and layout of your website.  Overall, this will have the most impact on the first impression of your business.  Studies have shown that little things such as a color scheme or font choice can have a psychological impact on one’s perception.  The layout for graphic elements and information is also important and should flow in a way that coincides with the natural tendencies our eyes have in scanning a page.  Believe it or not, there are hot spots where eyes tend to gravitate on websites and this needs to be taken into consideration. More information on eye movement patterns as it relates to web design can be found here.

Functionality and user experience of a site is also extremely important.  How many times have you searched for information on a particular site, gave up and moved on?  Information needs to be logically organized so the average person can easily navigate in its search.  Keep it simple and remember that often times, less is more.   Too many pages, especially if not properly organized, can confuse and frustrate people to the point that they continue their search elsewhere.

Speaking of searching, if people can’t find your site when searching for your product or service, you’re missing out on potential new business.  Designing a site with Search Engine Optimization (SEO) in mind and having a strategy in doing so is crucial.  Social media integration, blogging and updating your site on a regular basis with current information will improve a site’s SEO, thus making it easier to find during a search.  In the SEO world, remember that content is king.  Also, being able to measure traffic and results is a must; if Google Analytics hasn’t been integrated, it needs to be.

Now that you’ve had a chance to think about a few things concerning your company’s website, ask yourself one more question:  If someone is searching online for your product or service, who’s going to get the call; you or the competition?  If it’s not you, then it’s time for an upgrade.

Give us a call today and ask about our special for May!  For more information contact, Rob Ridgeway, at 512-994-4429 or [email protected]

Taylor Linens, a retail and wholesale provider of linens, quilts, duvets, curtains and more, came to us with the need to rebuild and revitalize their online store. We helped them design and build a beautiful fully-functional eCommerce website with:

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Years ago, a former marketing professor from the Gonzaga School of Business had given our class a few words of wisdom as we approached graduation weekend and were about to hit the pavement looking for jobs.  He said, “Dress sharp, get yourself a nice pair of dress shoes, polish up your resume and invest a little in a quality set of business cards.  It will set you apart from the competition.”  If you think about it, everything he said has to do with the first impression we’d make as first time job hunters.

Recently, I reflected back on Suppliers Compared and realized that his advice still holds true, except that my resume has been replaced with an informational brochure.  Yet it baffles me that as simple and straight forward as this advice might seem, I come across so many, yes,  “crappy” business cards.  Weeks or even months later as I’m thumbing through the pile of cards I’ve collected, the first thing I associate with the quality of the company, is the quality of their business card.  Mainly because I don’t remember much and this is the only tangible thing I have in my possession representing them. If a company isn’t going to spend the time to put some thought into designing their own business card, what does that say about the quality of job they will do for me?   Let’s just say there are some cards, unfortunately, that get thrown in the trash.

So for those running low on business cards and are contemplating another batch of the same old card, I recommend going to DX Print Group. If you are unsure if you should change your card, my alter ego, Rob Cardworthy has put together a list of things that may indicate “You might need a redesign.”

• If your card looks like it may have been printed on a “black and white” printer kopen, then you might need a redesign.
• If your card has corrugated edges and looks like it was printed on coupon paper, then you might need a redesign.
• If your card looks like a rainbow collage and often gets the response, “Oh wow, that’s pretty!”, then you might need a redesign.
• If your card is designed in a way that looking for your contact information is like playing a game of “Where’s Waldo?”, then you might need a redesign.
• If your “business” card really doesn’t communicate WHAT your “business” is, then you might need a redesign.
• If your card is……ummm…..B O R I N G, you might need a redesign.
• If your card is thin enough to double as dental floss (only in a pinch though), then you might need a redesign.
• If your card should have come with a magnifying glass, but didn’t, then you might need a redesign.
• If your card uses more fonts than the number of friends you can squeeze into a Car 2 Go, then you might need a redesign.
• If you are using one of those free services that states, ” Printed for free at imcheap.com”, then you might need a redesign.

Here’s the bottom line; invest a little bit and get help from Las Vegas printing companies, among others, to design a business card that will leave an impression.  It should be simple, creative, informative and of high quality.  You want to be remembered, and at the end of the day, it’s your card that’s going home with the business prospect, not you.

If your business card suffers from one or more of the symptoms above we can help.  Our design/ printing services are second to none so please give me a call, Rob Cardworthy (512) 994-4429 or email me at rob [at] hmgcreative.com

We’ve just launched a new website for SPL Services, Inc., a lead sound consulting firm in California. Our goal was to redesign their original website to bring it up-to-date aesthetically and functionally.

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We’ve been working with ShootDotEdit to help them launch a new product feature: Aperture Workflow 3.  We designed an email campaign and a homepage pop-up that would highlight their new workflow feature.  You can view the campaign below or
view it online.

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