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29
Jul 10

Seven deadly sins of mobile-optimized sites

Now that more people are accessing the Internet via iPhones, iPads, Android smartphones and other mobile devices, a mobile-optimized version of your regular site is becoming an essential complement to your regular website. While smartphones do a pretty good job of rendering regular webpages, smart mobile optimization can make the experience faster and simpler so you can keep mobile readers coming back. Unfortunately, too many sites get it wrong.

These days, my primary way of consuming long-form content on the Internet is my iPhone. I use my computer to create content, but my iPhone to read it. Here’s my personal pet-peeve list of what not to do.

1. Redirect users to mobile-optimized homepage
Few sites have enough pull to bring me to the homepage just to see what’s new. In the age of the splinternet, it’s Google, Facebook, Twitter, Google Reader, email or one of a dozen other sites that brings mobile traffic your way. We’re not there to bask in your brand. We are in search of a specific piece of content. If I don’t get what I’m looking for when I click, I click away and don’t come back.

2. Strip out all sidebar content
While mobile optimization necessarily involves simplifying the page, it’s smart to judiciously choose a few extras to pull me deeper into your site. By all means, lose the sidebar, but keep a search bar, links to automatically generated related content and a way to contact you.

3. Strip out sharing options
While I’m primarily a consumer of content on the iPhone, I am also a collector. When I read something interesting, I often want to file it for later or share it with friends. If I have to copy & paste a link and open another program to email or share, I’m a lot pickier about what I’ll choose to share. Make it one click to email content or share on Facebook or Twitter. Bonus points if you use Facebook’s share buttons or remember my email address so I have less to type.

4. Fail to include the option to switch to regular view
Sometimes I want to find something on your sidebar. Sometimes mobile view is wonky. Sometimes I just like seeing your whole site. Give me a link to switch over to the full view in case your mobile site isn’t giving me all I want to see.

5. Build your whole site in Flash (restaurants, I’m talking to you)
Flash sites are invisible on iPhone, iPad and many other mobile devices. Unfortunately, restaurants are one of the worst culprits for this. The site looks pretty if you visit it once at a computer, but when you’re on the go and trying to show a friend the menu to help make a decision about where to go eat, your site gets a big fat fail – right when you should be converting looky-loos into customers. If you want to have a Flash site as your main web presence, that’s your call (though I am not a fan … and that’s a whole other post), but if you do, a text-based mobile version is a must.

6. Forget that mobile users <3 texting
Consider including the option for users to text a link (or directions, or an address, or a phone number) to a friend. Bricks-and-mortar businesses could also set up a simple form to get people to sign up to receive special offers by text, or offer a discount or special deal for visitors who text an offer to a friend.

7. Ignore Facebook
Facebook, one of the world’s most-visited websites, is also a juggernaut of the mobile web. Invite visitors to become a fan on Facebook, by link or text message. Provide like or share buttons, or hire a developer to integrate Facebook using their mobile APIs.

Bonus: Assume that you don’t need a mobile site
Your site may not be in the top 100 or even top 1000 most-visited mobile sites, but that doesn’t let you off the hook. If you don’t think you have many customers or readers now, launch an inexpensive low-fi version that answers the most pressing needs for readers. WordPress users can install a free plugin that optimizes for iPhone. Restaurants and small businesses can create an alternative text version that at least displays their address and contact information, and perhaps includes a link to the mobile Google Maps website for directions. Or, look up one of the many free, easy mobile website builders to try out having a mobile site before you commit to a custom build. For example, Widgetbox offers a free dead-simple walkthrough to create a smartphone-optimized website, and provides the javascript code to embed on your site to automatically redirect mobile visitors.

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25
Mar 10

Nine ways to debate contentious issues with integrity

Cross-posting from my hyperlocal New Westminster blog, Tenth to the Fraser. The ideas in this piece apply as much to dialogue within brand communities as real-world communities. For “The City” and “The Government,” read “The Company.”

Even people in the best relationships have times when they disagree. The key to maintaining the relationship isn’t so much preventing fights, but learning how to fight well. In a “good” fight, the tension experienced is a catalyst for growth and positive change by both parties. The same is true for political disagreement. Unfortunately, in both political and personal fights, it’s all too easy to let your anger get the better of you, jeopardizing your cause.

A particular pitfall of those who are passionate advocates for change in their community is to forget that “the city” or “the government” is first made up of people. The same guidelines that can help partners and colleagues fight “well” also apply.

Psychology Today recently published a list called Nine Ways to Lose An Argument (Even If You’re Right), and it’s a great summary of what not to do if you want to rally people to your cause:

  1. Hit “below the belt.” Make sure you attack areas of personal sensitivity, like the person’s physical appearance, personality, character, or trustworthiness.
  2. Generalize. Use words like “never” or “always.” Not only will it guarantee that your partner-in-argument will become defensive, it will give him or her loophole. After all, it’s rare that a person never or always does something.
  3. Stockpile. Why settle for a battle when you can start a war? The next time you’re in an argument, bring up every grievance and hurt feeling in the history of your relationship.
  4. Clam up. Who doesn’t love the silent treatment? Start it when the other person is most vulnerable, so wait until the other person is genuinely expressing his or her distress.
  5. Yell. You know if you say it loud enough, you’re guaranteed to get the other person to see the light. Plus, it gets him or her to shut up.
  6. Assume the worst. Yeah, your manager said she gave you a “3” out of 5 on your performance evaluation because you’ve been slacking off lately, but you know it’s because she’s jealous of your superior intelligence and wants to knock you down a peg or two. Always assume the other person has an ulterior motive, especially when s/he tells you something you don’t like.
  7. Insist that “most people” would also see things your way. In one-on-one disagreement, it’s always useful to find ways to gang up on the other person. One way is to insist that any reasonable/sane/smart (you fill in the blank) person would agree with you.
  8. Find common ground and use it to show how superior you are. “I’m stressed too, but I still make sure I exercise.” “I also have a nanny and understand she can get sick. That’s why I made sure I have a backup daycare.” Yes, these may be good solutions for this person going forward, but they’re not going to be helpful in the heat of an argument.
  9. Go the distance. Remember; there’s no such thing as “pick your battles.” Be prepared to argue every point in every disagreement until you’ve beaten the other person down. And never compromise.

I prefer not to frame things in the negative, so here’s the flip side of that list: nine ways to debate with integrity:

  1. Criticize actions, not people.
  2. Be specific.
  3. Stay on-topic.
  4. Keep communicating respectfully (don’t lose your cool).
  5. Listen as well as talk.
  6. Assume good intentions, even when you disagree with certain actions.
  7. Agree to disagree on some things.
  8. Empathize.
  9. Compromise.

Those who fight for change have a rough path. It’s frustrating, time-consuming and often thankless work – even more so when the solutions you’re looking for involve more than one decision-maker. Amplify that frustration if it also involves decision-makers who are elected and have a number of interest groups and other constituents competing for attention.

Even so, it’s a mistake to frame these disagreements as “battles.” It paints all those who disagrees as enemies and too easily escalates mild criticism into “attacks.” In reality, most people are doing the best they know how. Constructive criticism supported by proactively suggesting solutions is more likely to realize change. If what you really want is resolution, begin with an attitude of collaboration.

I’m not so naive as to think that this list will defuse all conflicts, but I thought it worth sharing. I’m taking it to heart as a good reminder of some of the key “Dos” and “Don’ts” of respectful debate on this blog and in the world beyond.

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23
Sep 09

Change on the horizon

Today is a day of transition for me. The last two years I have been a marketing strategist by day, mom by night. I am looking forward to a year of playing with my ever-more grown up toddler and getting to know the new little daughter coming into our lives next month.

While I will no longer be trekking into the office every day, I doubt I’d be capable of leaving the world of social media marketing behind me for this year. It’s just too interesting, and too deeply embedded in my daily life. I’ll continue my trend-watching and experimentation using my New Westminster community blog Tenth to the Fraser as the testing ground.

I think there are some really interesting things on the horizon for marketing, social media and community-building online. Here’s some of what I’ll be watching for:

Social networks become part of the infrastructure of the Web

As Facebook continues to mature, I think it will become part of the infrastructure of the web. Like Google, Facebook has the potential to become so ubiquitous it’s almost invisible online. Unless, of course, they screw things up. I don’t see any social network – Twitter included – that is a serious threat to Facebook, but given the speed of change online, it’s possible one could emerge.

I look forward to seeing how Twitter matures as well. Due to the nature of the service, I don’t think it will be a Facebook-slayer. I think Twitter would do well to keep focusing on what it does differently (immediacy, location-awareness, discovery & word-of-mouth). Facebook is private and owns our social graph. Twitter is public, and owns breaking news and gossip.

A broader definition of ‘brand’

Many people still seem to think of ‘their’ brand as something they can control through repetition of a fixed set of images, key words and slogans. I think we’ll see more proof over the coming year that ‘brand’ is not a fixed thing, and it’s only partly influenced by how the company positions itself. As peer-to-peer consumer influence increases, the impact of popular perception on brands will also increase. I would like to see the definition of brand evolve to encompass not only the face you show to the world, but also the answer to the question, “What kind of company are you?” as expressed through your relationship with your customers.

Accelerating mobile innovation

People have been predicting for years that mobile technology is just about to come into its own. With the launch of the iPhone, I think we’re finally there. Over the next year, I think we’ll see continued innovation related to iPhone and smartphone technology, but also I think a greater awareness and usage of advanced features in ‘ordinary’ phones. I think we’ll see some experimentation with using mobile devices as payment gateways (Starbucks is already testing a feature in its new iPhone app that will allow customers to use their iPhone like a Starbucks Card in certain regions).

Deeper research into online ‘influence’

There’s sometimes an assumption that influence is equivalent to traffic or followers, but there has been some fascinating research starting to emerge that challenges this. There is certainly a level of influence achieved in controlling a media platform that reaches millions of followers (whether a blog, Twitter, or another channel), but attention is not necessarily the same as influence. On Facebook, researchers uncovered a competing model that demonstrates the power of many smaller ‘nodes’ of influence, rather than a few key mega-stars driving page and application growth. I’m hoping further research will explore whether this is the case throughout the Web, or if it’s something unique to the Facebook platform.

The term ‘social media’ becomes passe

Just as the prefix ‘e’ was added to everything during the first dot-com boom, ‘social’ and ‘social media’ are too widely used (and abused). I hope and expect that at some point we get over the novelty that people like to talk to each other online as well as in person, and start taking ‘social’ features for granted as simply good practice on the Web.