Category: mobile

    Why and How to Create an App for Your Business

    If you are looking to get more out of your smartphone as a business owner or entrepreneur, then you might start looking for apps that can do particular jobs for you on the Android Google Play Store or on the iTunes App Store.

    But what if you don’t find what you’re looking for?

    One solution is to build your own app. And as it happens, this decision can benefit you in more ways than one and might just be easier than you expect.

    Top Reasons to Build Your Own App

    The first reason you might want to build your own app is to extend the functionality of your phone. If your business has specific requirements, then by adding a custom built piece of software to your smartphone or the smartphones of your staff, you’ll that way be able to work wherever you are. This will increase your speed and flexibility several fold and it can even prevent errors if it means that your team can update information ‘in the field’ rather than waiting to log it on their return. Bear in mind that apps on a mobile device will also work on tablets, which allows for ‘upright computing’.
    At the same time, this kind of functionality is something that will always impress potential clients and customers. It makes your business look more cutting edge and that’s something that you shouldn’t underestimate.
    Meanwhile, you can also consider building apps for your partners, clients and customers. If you run a takeaway restaurant this might mean letting your customers order food through their device, or if you provide a service then the app could help to improve the quality of that experience. Again, this can impress your customers no end but it also helps them to use your company more quickly and easily thus encouraging increased sales.

    How to Build an App
    So how do you go about building an app?
    Essentially there are two options which are to either outsource the process to a third party, or to do it yourself. Each has their strengths and weaknesses of course.
    If you are going to outsource app development then you should look for a company that specializes in this and that has experience. Ask to see previous samples of their work and do be willing to pay a little extra for quality (some cheap developers on sites like Elance will cut corners).

    If you build it yourself, continue adding a new department to your team, or see if there are easier methods you can use. For instance if you’re making an Android app then using ‘Basic4Android’ may well save you time.

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    Top Uses of a Smartphone for a Business User

    If you are a business user and you have a smartphone, then there are lots of different things you can use your device for that will help you to get more work done, to improve your workflow and to generally enhance your productivity. Read on and we’ll look at some of the very best of them.

    Taking Notes
    Whether you’re on the move or you’re sitting at your computer, sometimes it’s useful to be able to take notes wherever you are. A great way to do this is with a smartphone, especially one with an app like Evernote that will keep your notes on the cloud for you to access online later. Alternatively, you can take voice notes, or even use the camera to capture things that are happening around you when you don’t have time to input information in any other way.

    Working on the Move
    Stuck on the train? Then you can actually get quite a lot of work done on your phone as long as you know how to find the right apps. An example of a great app for working on the move is Office365 for instance which is essentially the whole of Microsoft Office in a mobile format. If you run a website meanwhile, then the WordPress app is one of the most useful things you’ll be likely to find!

    Streaming Your PC
    Need to do something else on the move and can’t do it on your phone? Then consider using an app like ‘Splashtop Remote’. This lets you stream your desktop so that you can operate it remotely. The framerate is a little laggy but if you need to send yourself a file from the office or something then this is still incredibly helpful.

    Extending Your Screen
    Another interesting thing you can do with an Android or smartphone is to extend your screen so that you can do more at once. Either you can load up webpages and look at them next to your monitor for easier multitasking, or you can use apps that let you literally turn your phone into another computer display.

    Organization
    Perhaps the best way to utilize your smartphone in a business setting though is as a way to organize your information. Organizing contacts of course is very helpful but just as useful is having Google Calendar in your pocket so that you can get notifications wherever you are in the world!

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    Why Google Mobile Friendly Changes Matter

    Google made a change to their algorithm yet again – which will either leave you scratching your head in oblivious wonder or stomping your feet in frustration (or most likely a combination of the two).

    Google wants to be certain that when people utilize its search engine those people are getting the best and most relevant information for that search. The great minds at Google tweak and modify their “search equation” to make that possible.

    The latest change involved the mobile friendly aspect of your website. According to most reports, people now do more of their online activity utilizing a mobile device than on desktops and laptops combined. Experts predicted this would happen, but they also predicted it would not happen until well into 2016.

    Google wanted to insure that its search engine algorithm matched up with those new measurements. Although nobody outside of Google knows the exact details of the algorithm, Google does offer a tool that will let you test your website to see if it meets the Google determined threshold.

    The good news of this Google change is that if your company has a mobile friendly website then Google will give you bonus points for making it easy for your visitors to use that website.

    The better news of this Google change is that if your company has not yet upgraded to a mobile friendly site then it brings attention to the importance of accommodating the habits and devices of the highest percentage of internet users.

    The KEYS to the Google Mobile Friendly Changes

    1. Google determines if it considers your website to be mobile friendly. Make use of the Google Mobile-Friendly test to determine if your website passes. The name of the theme or design of your website has little to do with whether or not your site will pass.

    2. The change started on April 21st but may take a while before it reaches all areas. Despite the stretched out time frame, it is important to work out the kinks in the mobile-friendly status of your site.

    3. Your site will benefit from being mobile-friendly. The largest percentage of your readers visits from mobile devices. The Google changes make sure that your site will be easier for those visitors to make the most of your website.

    4. Not being mobile-friendly only effects your ranking for mobile devices – this according to Google. Again, the goal of Google is to provide the best user experience so there are some experts that are suggesting that mobile specific algorithm may be the result.
    Google changes can seem like a nightmare waiting to happen. Most of the time the new changes feel like they come just when you finish the redesign from the last changes. Although Google is here to spotlight your website, the ultimate purpose of Google (and therefore their loyalty) lies with the searcher. The changes that Google made to the algorithm make it easier for mobile searchers to find what they need. The changes also help you to create an atmosphere friendly for those users.

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    Mobile-friendly and Responsive are NOT the Same

    The world of internet viewing has been shifting – first from desktops to more portable laptops. Now the shift is from desktops/laptops to on-the-go functionality from mobile devices. Your visitors and customers are on the move, and your website needs to accommodate that activity.

    Web designers, webmasters, and theme designers have been focused on creating websites that would cross from different computers and screen sizes without hindering the experience. The goal for many years was to have a website that would respond to the device where it was being viewed.

    Screens on mobile devices are larger than they have been, but they still require even more adjustment to make websites easier to use for the viewer. This is one of the reasons that Google released the new algorithm designed to award websites that make mobile viewing a better experience.

    Mobile-Friendly or Responsive

    Responsive designs were crafted to create a pleasant viewing experience. The webpage recognizes the size of the viewing screen and then adjusts to fit that screen. It will also adjust to the orientation of the screen. Responsive makes use of flexible layouts, images, and style sheets. A mobile-friendly website will always be responsive, but all responsive websites are not mobile-friendly.

    Simple responsive sites can feel clunky and require more work for the mobile viewer. Although the information is technically available on a responsive site, it is not easy to access for the mobile user and so would not quality as mobile-friendly.

    Mobile-friendly websites render content in a manner that is convenient to use and read on mobile devices – including smart phones and tablets. Search options, share buttons, and other navigation features are display in a way that requires less scrolling for the mobile users. Mobile-friendly websites were created to optimize the mobile experience and will often include single screen, single column designs, simple navigations, and reduced images or clutter.

    Several major companies designed two websites – one for mobile users and one for desktop/laptop users. This brought along the surge of m. sites. The roll-up to and ultimate release of “mobilegeddon” frowned on this pattern (although Google has said it does not penalize companies that choose to go this route). The goal is to create a website that will know who is watching and from what device and will provide quality and engaging content optimized for that particular device.

    You may want to work with a website design specialist to create the best optimized website for your company. Making the shift from responsive to mobile-friendly can have some unique challenges, but in the end it should not be too difficult. The best thing about “mobilegeddon” is the focus on the user. By creating a website friendlier to mobile users, you will be in a position to better meet the needs of those users (and ultimately convert users to customers).

    The important thing to remember is that your website can be responsive and not be mobile-friendly, but your website cannot be mobile-friendly and not be responsive. Optimize the mobile experience to insure that your website passes the Google mobile-friendly test.

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    Mobile Marketing is here!

    According to +Think with Google Study, there are myths about how Mobile Marketing is working right now. 

    Google, Ipsos MediaCT and Sterling Brands research study from March to May 2014. Survey conducted among 6,000 smartphone users aged 18–54 who have influence in the purchase decision-making process of retail, CPG or tech products and have used the internet to look for shopping-related information.

     +Think with Google , Google and Ipsos Media survey found that there are certain myths how people are using smartphones to shop.
    Over 50% of people surveyed would check in Google Search on phone for:
    1. Price of item in store
    2.Availability of item in store
    3. Closest store with item in stock
    4. Check out what other items are in the store where item is available!
    Hello! Looks like people are searching while in the Store so make sure you have lots of information about your specials, product availablity, store hours, location and map. As people are making decision whether to come to your store on phone and when they are in your store, they are looking for more things to buy!

    Good lesson for businesses online or offline, if you aren’t mobile responsive and mobile ready, you are losing unknown business!

     

     


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