These days, you can’t talk about social media or marketing without mobile following close behind. It’s everyone’s go-to gadget, from games and finance to shopping and keeping in touch, and if you’ve ever unknowingly left your mobile device at home you understand just how inconvenient it can be. Call me dramatic but it’s a little like being stranded on an island.
The importance of being mobile-optimized, however, doesn’t mean that you jump on board without understanding some things first. First you need to figure out if it makes sense and why. Then you can work on user experience and how to execute that. Ask yourself: What problem does this solve?
So, why do we use our mobile phones so much?
- It’s super convenient: While we can get easily frustrated when our laptop connection hangs even for just a second too long, it seems our patience and attention spans are even less forgiving when we’re on our mobile phones.
- We need information NOW: We use our mobile phones because we need to do something right now and can’t or don’t want to wait until a later time when we can log on with our laptops. Maybe we need to find out where 1234 Broadway Ave is now because we are meeting someone there in 10 minutes or maybe we need to see what our account balance is in our checking account. The point is, mobile makes our lives a little easier and we’re taking advantage of it.
- We want to socialize in real time: Everyone knows how pervasive social sites have become in the last several years. Part of the reason for its staying power is the fact that we can access social sites on-the-go. Imagine what Facebook would be like if we all waited to get home at the end of the day to update our social networks? Sure, there are tablets and laptops but I’d doing a lot less updating and game playing if I didn’t have my mobile phone.
So, what is the mobile phone NOT used for? According to a new study by Ruder Finn, mobile phones are definitely not used for creativity, learning or expression of feelings. The next time you decide that you want to go mobile, think about what it is you’re trying to accomplish.
In other words, we need to remember to look at the ‘intent’ behind mobile phone usage to get a better understanding of how to best utilize it.
Image: Ruder Finn Study
