4 Most Common Mobile Mistakes
Today we’re going to discuss 4 of the most common Mobile Mishaps/Mistakes people encounter. While much of this was covered yesterday in my presentation at www.marketingcampsf.org I figure I’ll write a separate article to emphasize some key points.
Let’s get started.
Porting to Mobile
Some may think this is just common practice, and requires the least amount of effort and investment (of any kind). With that assumption, they’re right. Unfortunately, “porting” rarely works because a mobile device as well as the experience that comes with it, is not the same as a desktop.
Instead..
- Think – what problems are people having on mobile, and how will they be able to solve them with your app, on a mobile device?
- Design for the 80%, not the 20%.
- Start simple, then expand once you’ve honed in on what’s working and what isn’t.
Unclear Controls
Because icons are not synonymous across iOS and Android this sometimes makes things very difficult for developers who have to choose between standardizing their apps across platforms or creating different versions for every platform (OS). Many even choose to design their own icons, which further worsens things.
How to avoid..
- Focus on navigation and ease of use over ‘making it pretty’.
- Don’t assume that icons are self-explanatory, when in doubt use text instead of, or in addition to an image.
Not Reassuring Users Privacy
It’s common for users to be reluctant towards some actions for fear of their smartphone doing things they don’t want it to. More specifically, having their data stolen over the wireless network. It’s quite common users will wait to perform a transaction on their computer because they’re not sure it’s safe on mobile.
Obviously..
- Reassure your users so they know your system is secure, especially when conducting transactions or collection personal info.
- Always notify people before posting on a social network, and never make them guess about the consequences for accepting.
Failure to Engage
It should be evident that mobile users have incredibly short attention spans. Being on the go most of the time, an app or website needs to provide instant gratification – consistently to win their loyalty.
To avoid the fate of having horrible engagement it’s highly suggested not to solely rely on analytics, but instead supplement those analytics with tests. Drill down to, WHY your users get confused, lose interest, or get scared – testing is what it’s all about.
Kevin is an Online and Mobile Marketing Strategist who has worked with companies of all sizes over the last 6 years. You can follow Kevin on any of the social platforms below.
