Against the Grain: Paul Burger

Currently there are over 5 billion connected mobile phones worldwide and almost 2 billion of them have web access. Most marketers, at some point in time, have read or been told that they need to explore mobile marketing. While there are many approaches, we are going to look at the two most popular options.

Apps vs. Mobile Websites

Building a customized app for your product or service is dramatically different in terms of usability, functionality and cost than making your company’s website viewable from a mobile device. Let's look at a few factors that will help you determine which option is best for your business.

Are you trying to reach a niche market or provide a niche service? Then a mobile app might be your best option. The downside is that apps are designed for specific platforms. Although the iPhone continues to dominate the market, Android-based phones are rapidly gaining market share. If a mobile app is the direction you choose to go, your consumers may demand that you support multiple devices. Keep in mind that if your core content or the device changes, you will have to get a developer involved to help with the modifications and it could be pricey.

If you’re trying to reach a large audience, then a mobile website offers the largest platform. Mobile websites work on most web-enabled devices, and you can utilize the content that already exists on your current website.

You should consider your consumer’s experience with your mobile brand, as well. A mobile app might be more user-friendly because the functionality and feature set is tailored to the user’s handheld device. Take, for instance, the GPS data available on many phones, your app might offer a location-based feature, but a mobile website requires the user to provide their zip code.

Alternatively, a mobile website might be better suited for a product catalog or content delivery since it will be accessible by search engines and can provide current information to the end-user. With the forthcoming HTML 5 specification, the functionality gap between a mobile app and a mobile website is decreasing. The enhanced platform will enable developers to create better mobile websites more cost-effectively.

With smartphone sales set to outpace PCs by 2011, mobile apps and mobile websites are quickly becoming the most popular mobile marketing tools for companies looking to reach consumers on-the-go. As mobile technologies continue to change and evolve, it becomes even more critical for you to understand your consumers’ needs, and target your mobile marketing strategy to meet their demands.

When you build a new website for your company, the process involves choosing a domain name, creating a concept and design, developing content and finally launching the website. Typically, companies pay a lot of attention to the design and content, but don’t spend enough time choosing a good, brandable domain name.

A brandable domain name is very important for several reasons. You can’t rely on users to bookmark or write down the domain name, or be able to recall an obscure address like stratuscompanydesmoines.com.  Often times, a domain name becomes the center piece for a brand, so you want it to be memorable and creative.

Websites like Godaddy.com and Namestation.com can help you in your quest to find that perfect brandable domain name.

Here are some tips to remember when choosing a domain name:

• Try to use a domain that includes the company or product name.

• Try to claim a “.com” address. It’s the most common ending for a website, and it’s what most people will try first. You should also purchase the variations like “.org” and “.net” and point them to your main site. You don’t want your competitors, or shady products and services, using your domain name brand. This could negatively affect your brand image.

• The shorter the name, the better. Eight characters or less is ideal. There’s a reason why some of the shortest domain names sell for thousands of dollars on domain auctions, they’re highly brandable and memorable.

• Stick to letters if possible.

• If you’re considering starting a company or launching a product in the future, register the domain name now. Don’t wait! It is a cheap investment and it will protect your brand.

• Avoid using hyphens, if at all possible. These domains are hard to use in audible mediums, like radio and television.

• Avoid challenging spellings and unfamiliar words. If your site is hard to find, customers will just move on.

The bottom line is that you should think about your target market, business, products and services, and choose a domain that will help drive traffic to your site and build your brand.