Although the term “cloud” is seeing increasing use, it’s necessary to clarify what portion of “the cloud” is of interest to a particular audience. For small and medium businesses (SMBs), there are generally two areas of relevance in the evolution of IT services to the cloud. The first is the application layer, commonly referred [...]
By Joanna Fletcher
It’s truly a horrible moment when you lose your cell phone or your hard drive crashes. There’s the device itself, which is not an inconsiderable investment, but the real loss is the contact information stored within that device. Contact information is one of those things that builds up slowly into an invaluable resource. continue »
By Mike Koehler
When a business is looking at its online strategy these days, it shouldn’t confine itself to the world of computers. Instead, it needs to be thinking about how it can get into its customers’ pockets. continue »
By Joyce V. Harrison
As a small business, you may not have the marketing clout of a company as big as Target. But you can launch couponing to mobile devices just as this mega-retailer is doing.
According to an article titled “Go Green with Mobile Coupons,” paper coupons currently number 300 billion a year, typically clipped from the Sunday newspaper. Only a total of 15% come from email/text messages and Web sites. But the trend is definitely toward major growth in digital delivery. continue »
By Meredith Barnhill
Location-aware mobile applications are the newest mobile technology phenomenon. The latest wave of mobile phones including the iPhone have GPS capabilities allowing developers to tailor applications for those devices. Early adopters of such technology have taken to applications like Loopt, Foursquare and Gowalla. This presents a unique opportunity for businesses to advertise and offer extra incentives to customers who frequent their locations. continue »
By Monique Martin
Neilson recently released its 2010 Media Industry Fact Sheet, and the numbers are staggering. There are currently more than 60 million mobile Web users in the US. They project that number to double within the next year. That’s 120 million customers who won’t see your business unless you have a mobile-optimized Web site.
That’s a potential customer base no one can pass up. Whether they’re surfing on their BlackBerry, iPhone or Droid, mobile users are on the Web, and you should be too. Happily, creating a mobile-optimized Web site is easier and cheaper than ever. continue »
By CC Pearce
With 30 percent of mobile phone users having used an Internet browser on their phones, every business owner should consider having a site geared toward the mobile market.
A mobile Web site should be absolutely clear and straight-forward with no clutter. Most people browsing on a mobile device are surfing the Internet at slower speeds than on their laptops or desktops and are searching for specific information. For a small business Web site, the information must be easy to find, and a mobile site must be fundamentally based on this principle. continue »
By Meredith Barnhill
In a fast-paced environment, businesses can’t afford to be tied down to one device. Being able to access personal data like contacts, email, calendars and documents on a mobile device or laptop or desktop, regardless of where you are at a given moment, is invaluable. continue »
By Simon Wright
For many sole traders and small companies, the ability to manage business on the move is crucial and these groups have been among the highest adopters of smart phone technology. Additionally, small businesses rely heavily upon Web sites to attract new business, necessitating an awareness of trends towards mobile Web usage. continue »
Mobile Web sites are rising in popularity as the number of people accessing the Internet on mobile devices continues to climb. The .mobi top-level domain signals to viewers that a Web site will load quickly and navigate easily on their mobile devices. continue »
A mobile Web site puts your information in the hands of your customers anywhere they go. Before you begin building your mobile Web site, ask yourself what information your customers need from you when they’re on the go. The best mobile Web sites offer actionable information that is easy to navigate and downloads quickly on mobile devices. continue »
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