Are You Thinking Mobile or Mobility?

For years, we’ve been talking about the mobile landscape, but it’s time to change our thinking to mobility—the combination of mobile, digital and social media as a communications ecosystem. People expect a seamless experience.

Smartphones and other devices power our communications. As of September 2015, 80% of Americans own smartphones, and at least a quarter of people 55 and older shop via those same phones (Nielsen). But when we only think about the devices people use, we narrow our thinking.

Choosing to understand that our audiences have embraced lives of mobility (not just their devices, but how they interact on them), broadens our understanding of the content tactics we need to use. We need to consider all channels and how content can help our audiences make better decisions instantaneously.

Understanding Mobility

What does mobility mean to you as a marketer?

The choice of which service to access is now more likely made using a mobility mindset. Context is key. Social networks, research on mobile devices and conversations with friends will all come into play when making these important decisions.

So as an effective marketer, what should you do?

1. Look at your mobile website: Analyze your design and back end coding. This guide from Google is a good place to start: Mobile Friendly Websites.
2. Look at your social channels: Do they have the same messaging? Are they being monitored carefully? Are people having conversations, asking questions and getting positive, upbeat messages? Or are your pages abandoned like a boring party?
3. Scour third-party review sites: Reputation management can’t only happen in a crisis. Make sure you’re monitoring third-party sites like Yelp and Google for reviews and feedback.

Understand that it’s not just about devices—it’s about a mindset. You can influence your consumer at the moment of purchase. But you need to do the hard work ahead of time, so they get seamless messaging when they’re ready to buy.