Socially Mobile

For the Wall Street generation it was all about being upwardly mobile. Today you’ve got to be socially mobile. Social networking and mobile technology are setting the pace for the Web. Is your online strategy socially mobile? If not, you could be missing out.

Here’s a quote from Darryl Zanuck of 20th Century Fox from 1946:

Television won’t be able to hold on to any market it captures after the first six months. People will soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every night

Don’t be to social mobility what Darryl Zanuck was to TV.

Here are some “bottom line” considerations for a socially mobile web presence.

To Flash or Not to Flash
Flash is a proprietary technology from Adobe primarily used to add animation and video to websites. The problem with Flash is that is not supported on many mobile environments. There has always been tension between Flash and the Web. Artistic types like it. But because of security issues, incompatibility with search engines, and being not compatible with many mobile platforms, Flash has fallen out of favor with the IT community.
The bottom line.
You should not build your website on Flash or use Flash for your navigation. If you use Flash at all, use it sparingly. I prefer using JavaScript; it is an open system that works well on mobile devices. And if you use video upload it to YouTube and put the link on your website. Then when your website is viewed from an iPhone/iTouch/iPad it will launch the YouTube app and the user can view the video.

Content is King
On the Web content is king. Of course you want a nice looking website, but on the Internet it is more important what you say that just having a pretty frame. And in today’s real-time online world you need to be able to update your website quickly without a lot of drama. Your website should be built on an open source platform where you post updates without having to go your web designer. Then you can save your webmaster for the big “techie” stuff (ecommerce, RSS feeds, social network plugins, etc…).
The bottom line.
If you need to call your web person every time you want to make even a tiny change to your website then it’s time to renovate your website to a content control system. My favorite is WordPress because of its ease of use, plays well with social media, and works well on mobile browsers.

Can Facebook Help Your Business?
The short answer is “yes”. Whether it is Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, and even MySpace, having a social media strategy ranks up there with having a search engine optimization plan (Google ranking). Having a page on social networking websites is the best way to improve your search engine placement, so it all ties together. However, it is important to control your social networking and not let it control you. (Stay clear of Farmville, Mafia Wars, and politics!)
The bottom line.
Embracing social networking can help others embrace your business. If you are a bit social-media-shy then I suggest you start with Linkedin as it caters to the business community and is not as intense as Facebook.

Need Help?
Becoming socially mobile can be fun, but it can be tricky, too. Let TechAdvocate Solutions help you with you develop an online strategy that’s right for you. Click here, fill-out the VERY short form, and someone will be contacting you!