When it comes to mobile, usability certainly is crucial, but you also need to know how to create content for your mobile users.
Reading content from a mobile device is different from reading content on a laptop. Users interact differently with mobile data than they traditionally have done with web based data and content must be created with that in mind. For instance, studies have shown that users pay most attention to the top two-thirds of the screen and content should be optimized with that in mind.
Consider these issues and create a strategy for content before you begin start building your mobile application and then your iPhone application developer or Android application developer can help build an application that works with your strategy.
Here are 4 tips to help you write mobile content like a pro.
Start with a Killer Headline
First of all make sure that you keep you headlines short and sweet. You don’t want headlines that take up half the space on your screen and push key content down below the fold. Beyond that, you want to make sure that a busy mobile user can take a quick look at your title and not only know what the story is about but be interested in it. Assume that your users are busy and distracted while reading your content and that you need something brief with a lot of pop to grab their attention.
Grab Their Attention Early
Space is limited on mobile screens so you want to make sure you start off with key points and information that will grab a user’s attention. If your headline can spark some interest you must have strong enough early content to keep them reading. Its an old copywriters adage that the point of each line of copy is to keep the user reading the next. Perhaps no where is this more true than with mobile.
Don’t Forget Images
It has been shown in studies that on mobile devices people view images more than they look at text. Their eyes are just naturally drawn to the images over text. Don’t forget that it is the natural tendency of human eyes to be drawn to images and keep that in mind while creating content. A well placed and relevant image can help interest in your article.
Make It Concise
Writing more isn’t necessarily better. It’s easy to ramble on; it takes effort to be succinct. Concise writing takes time and work and when it come mobile, concise writing is indispensable. Think about the size of the screen and you will understand why. The key isn’t just to try and be short but rather to write what is needed and carefully edit so you can express the ideas in a succinct, cogent way. Make your content as long as it needs to be without wasting space. Make sure you format your text in short paragraphs that aren’t intimidating to readers. Short paragraphs require less concentration and are preferred by mobile readers.
Like anything else writing great mobile copy requires practice. There isn’t a magic wand you can wave and be a master but if you follow these principles and focus on writing copy that complies with these ideas you will find more users reading your copy on their mobile devices.
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Mobile ad spending is skyrocketing around the world. This year mobile ad spending in the United States is expected to increase an astounding 50% and account for essentially half of all digital ad spending (eMarketer). By 2019 this number is expected to continue to grow to nearly three quarters of all digital ad spending.
Mobile marketing is an entirely new medium where some new rules apply.
Whether you are planning on building a mobile web site, mobile application development or a mobile marketing program, to make sure you get the most from your mobile marketing make sure you follow these 4 tips.
Viewability
Your business cannot rely on outdated metrics like clicks or impressions. You want to make sure your ad is seen. Make sure you place ads where consumers will see them. Viewability is more of a watchword than ever before for good reason.
Relevance
Reach your customers with a relevant message. Make sure that consumers find value in your message, ask your self if the app on which you are advertising make sense for your message. Don’t focus on what is cool, rather focus on what is relevant. Businesses can spend a lot of time and money on a big campaign on the hippest app to only lose out due to a lake of relevance with the audience. You need to picture yourself as one of the apps users and determine if your message is relevant and will resonate with the users.
Personalize
Mobile devices are very personal which is part of the reason that mobile ads are so effective. Personalize your message and users generally pay more attention (personalized push notifications, etc) than they do to banner ads.
Timing
Pay attention to the timing of your messaging. Consider your customers and their habits. If you can deliver the right offer at the right time with the right message you will hit pay dirt. Timing can be as important as location and relevance in improving the effectiveness of your messaging.
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It is clear that mobile will continue to grow throughout 2015 and beyond. Study after study details a bright future for mobile, such as when research firm eMarketer anticipated mobile to surpass desktop in search ad dollars this year.
We are seeing smartphones transform several aspects of our life that you may not have considered. From how we access information to how we shop, mobile is transforming the modern world.
We are well past the point of mobile being just for early adopters. Mobile is a fantastic medium for all businesses due to the broad demographic of users it reaches. While many think of millennials when it comes to mobile, fact of the matter is that a quarter of the mobile shoppers are in fact over 55 (comScore).
Mobile devices are where your consumers are at, but how do you get the most from you companies mobile offerings?
Personalization
Making your mobile application or web site more personal to your users can pay huge dividends. Customers have come to expect offers to be tailored to their preferences. Data-driven, personalized marketing is the future and there is no reason your business isn’t taking advantage of it now given the power of mobile devices.
The modern consumer has learned to personalize their device and their mobile experience. Brands that allow for personalization build brand loyalty and reap the rewards of catering to the needs of modern consumers. Personalization helps create user experiences that are more impactful, which translates into sales. With mobile, businesses are able to deliver offers and information based on a user’s location, interests and preferences. Additionally, as users are able to personalize their experience on your mobile offerings it creates a “buy-in” that invests them more into the experience and helps continue use.
Data enables retailers to personalize experiences and drive sales and should be planned for in the early stages of your mobile application development project. An iPhone application developer or Android application developer can discuss information architecture with you and plan ahead for your needs.
User Experience
Modern application design is all about a focus on the user and their needs. No longer are consumers willing to accept difficult to use sites and apps and instead they will opt for retailers that create the experiences they are looking for. Applications will be abandoned quickly if they are not intuitive to users
Key to understanding user experiences is understanding trends in the industry and commonly accepted ways of doing things. Fight against the generally accepted way to accomplish simple tasks and risk your apps being abandoned due to being confusing. Mobile users are picky and won’t waste time figuring out complicated operations.
Seamless Experiences
Consumers are more sophisticated than ever and expect businesses to create the seamless digital experiences that are consistent with a brand’s in-store experience and equally engaging. Studies indicate that 86 percent of senior level marketers say it’s important to create a cohesive journey across all touch points for consumers. This is for good reason as many consumers will check out a product in store and buy it later via mobile app or website.
Businesses can’t rely on a single touch point any more as customers may not go into a location or to a business’s web site to make a purchase. You need to make sure you put the tools consumers need in their hands.
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