“70% of all mobile searches result in action within 1 hour. 70% of online searches result in action in one month.”
—http://www.mobilemarketingstrategiessummit.com/Feeding the Mobile Monster
You’re knocking on the door to someone’s private mobile device. Many of them must pay (one way or the other) to open the door. Would you rather be invited in or given the boot?
Amplify’d from www.stompernet.com
See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/a19pzl
Did you know one half of all searches are done via a mobile device? Check out 15 incredible mobile statistics!
Amplify’d from www.socialnomics.net
See this Amp at http://bit.ly/qWYDr5
Mobile Marketing Services
We are offering one-stop mobile solutions in entire marketplace for companies of every type of industry.
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Permission Based Mobile Marketing is a Big Deal for Retail - Bricks + Mobile 2011
remodista.comMore and more today, retailers are moving permission based mobile programs into their mainstream marketing and customer relationship management programs, however, one big challenge remains around mobile database management − How do retail marketers effectively understand who their mobile consumers really are?
Benefits OF Blackberry Apps Development
Mobile users are well aware of the benefits of mobile apps. They take advantage of these apps and make use of them to make life easy. Here we discuss some of the benefits of BlackBerry apps.
Blackberry apps development result in powerful new mobile apps and offer a lot of new innovative features. There is a lot of flexibility in BlackBerry app development in different platforms viz. JAVA, MDS, J2ME. Hundreds of mobile apps have already been developed which help greatly in improving an executive’s productivity.
Mobile Marketing Universe
I am doing a Project Consulting about Mobile Marketing Strategy. I realized that many people associate Mobile Marketing only with SMS and Mobile Applications. However, there are some others ways to use it according to Corporate Strategy’s objectives.
For that reason, I created this Mind Map, in order to organize all the information I collect about this topic.
At the moment of creation this post, the Mind Map is live, it means I’m constantly updating it, so the version number located below the map’s Main Topic is changing. I decided to start to make it public since the version 2.00
I’d appreciate any comment and feedback in order to improve this Mind Map.
Voila! Here the Mind Map.
Mobile Marketing
3maxgroup.comIncrease Brand awareness by marketing directly to your customers cell phones. 90210 is instant brand recognition. Stop wasting money on advertisement with no ROI and get started today
Generate QR Code with Google Chart API in Bulk from Excel Worksheet
This article is about generating QR Codes automatically in bulk from Google Chart API. If you know how it works, then you can skip all the descriptions in the article and go straight below and download the spreadsheet that can help you print QR Codes in bulk.
But, if you are interested to learn about how it was done, then please start reading from here. Before that, I think a lot of people want to have more introduction about some terms. So here they go:
What is QR Code?QR Code is 2-dimensional or 2D barcode (unlike the traditional 1D barcode) that looks like the black pixilated image below:
Came from some innovative Japanese mind, who invented the code to make contents decoded at high speed. This 2D Barcode now readable by QR scanners, smartphones or mobile phones attached with cameras.
For iPhone (Semacode), Android Phones (QuickMark), Blackberry (ScanLife), and Symbian Phones or Nokia (UpCode) there are many competing apps that can read QR Codes from any printed media.
The utility of QR Code is simple, transfer a whole chunk of text or information from any printed media to your mobile phone (through QR reader) or computer (through QR scanner). So, this is the best way for you to make people go directly to your site from the printed QR Code or have people save your business card in their mobile phone in a snap.
What Does QR Codes Have to do with Web Marketing?QR Codes are fastest way to transfer text and information from print to mobile phones. Therefore, it has good implications on increasing your site traffic from alternative media by referring the URL to your site. e.g. if you sell a specific product; by using mobile phone, the printed QR Code on your product can make the friends or colleagues of the buyer go to the page where he/she can also buy it.
For any type of contact request, a visitor can save your contact information from web, product, brochure, coupons, etc. and might convert later.
Calvin Klein recently made an innovative adult advertisement on billboard with QR codes, without even showing the nude models. The title of the advertisement was “Get It Uncensored”. This triggered many people to go to their website and watch the uncensored video. Please read more about this news here.
Even though QR Code is thought to be a mobile marketing strategy, combined with the web technology, it can be a great strategy for web marketing.
What is Google Chart API?
According to the Google chart API site:
The Google Chart API lets you dynamically generate charts with a URL string. You can embed these charts on your web page, or download the image for local or offline use.
Interesting fact is that Google Chart API is also currently the most reliable and free source for generating 2D QR Codes.
How can you Generate QR Codes with Google Chart API?If you look at the URL of the above image, you’ll see that there are many information avalable in the URL:
http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=qr&chs=350x350&chl=MECARD:N:Asif%20Anwar;ORG:Blueliner%20Marketing,%20LLC.;TEL:008801712181761;EMAIL:anwar%40bluelinerbangla.com;ADR:55%20Broad%20Street,%2017th%20Floor,%20New%20York,%20NY%2010004,%20USA.;URL:http://asifanwar.tumblr.com;NOTE:Company%20site:%20http://www.bluelinerny.com;;
So, by just inputting the information in the right place in the right format, you also can generate the desired QR codes.
Interpreting the Google Chart API URLFrom the URL, you will find several parameters that can be customized. Here is the list of the parameters and their description:
cht=qr
If you go to the Google Chat API site, then you can see that Google arranges many types of charts. So, by using cht=qr, you are telling Google that the chart type should be QR.
chs=350x350
This is where you mention what would be the chart size.
chl=MECARD
CHL is the Chart Label parameter. This actually states what type of content you have and based on that, your device will create certain action. You can have content as vCard (make an Phonebook Entry), URL (go to the referred site), Text (read the contents of the QR), Phone (call the referred number), SMS (Get info saved on your mobile), etc.
Usually, MECARD is used to tell that, the content is for Mobile vCard. According to ServletSuite.com, the definition of
MECARD is a text format lets you present address information for phonebook registration.
It is then followed by other heads with your custom values, like:
N: Full Name
ORG: Company Name
TEL: The Telephone Number
EMAIL: The Email Address
ADR: The Address
URL: The URL
NOTE: Any note or comment.
Each of the heads should be separated with semicolon. If you are using the Chart API for generating URL only, then the custom URL is the label. You don’t need separate label for that.
More information on Google Chat API Parameters are on: http://code.google.com/apis/chart/docs/gallery/qr_codes.html
How to Generate QR Codes in Bulk from Excel Worksheet?Well, this is what this article is about. In excel worksheet or any other sort of database, you might have information or record like this:
A2. Name: Asif Anwar
B2. Company: Blueliner Marketing, LLC.
C2. Phone Number: 008801712181761
D2. Email: ɯoɔ˙ןıɐɯb@ʇuɐʇןnsuoɔǝpɐɹʇ (upside-down text)
E2. Address: 55 Broad Street, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10004, USA.
F2. Website: http://asifanwar.tumblr.com
G2. Note: Company site: http://www.bluelinerny.com
[A2 to G2 are cell reference]
In terms of QR Code generation, these information is best for website/URL reference or business card transfer from print to mobile. And with all these information, you get this URL again:
http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=qr&chs=350x350&chl=MECARD:N:Asif%20Anwar;ORG:Blueliner%20Marketing,%20LLC.;TEL:008801712181761;EMAIL:anwar%40bluelinerbangla.com;ADR:55%20Broad%20Street,%2017th%20Floor,%20New%20York,%20NY%2010004,%20USA.;URL:http://asifanwar.tumblr.com;NOTE:Company%20site:%20http://www.bluelinerny.com;;
Now, if you look at the URL that generates the QR Codes, you will find a pattern. e.g.:
http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=qr&chs=[THE-CHART-SIZE-YOU-WANT]&chl=MECARD:N:[FIRST-NAME]%20[LAST-NAME];ORG:[COMPANY%20NAME];TEL:[YOUR-TELEPHONE-NUMBER];EMAIL:[YOUR-EMAIL-ADDRESS];ADR:[YOUR-ADDRESS];URL:[YOUR-URL];NOTE:[YOUR-NOTE]; ;
In other analogy with cell reference:http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=qr&chs=[THE-CHART-SIZE-YOU-WANT]&chl=MECARD:N:[A2];ORG:[B2];TEL:[C2];EMAIL:[D2];ADR:[E2];URL:[F2];NOTE:[G2]; ;
So, it is possible the join these information from excel worsheet to generate the URL and finally generate the QR Codes. But, there is one problem, the information you have, has spaces and @ sign that are not allowed in the URL. So, you have to replace them with “%20” and “%40” respectively.
In Excel Worksheet, you can use the following formulas to replace the spaces and @ signs and create a new text that can be easily joined:
H2. =SUBSTITUTE(TRIM(A2),” “,”%20”)
I2. =SUBSTITUTE(TRIM(B2),” “,”%20”)
J2. =SUBSTITUTE(TRIM(C2),” “,”%20”)
K2. =SUBSTITUTE(TRIM(D2),”@”,”%40”)
L2. =SUBSTITUTE(TRIM(E2),” “,”%20”)
M2. =SUBSTITUTE(TRIM(F2),” “,”%20”)
N2. =SUBSTITUTE(TRIM(G2),” “,”%20”)
[Assuming that you are placing the replaced texts in single row that starts after G column]
Since you have all the spaces and @ replaced, you now can join the texts with =CONCATENATE() formula. e.g.
=CONCATENATE(“http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=qr&chs=350x350&chl=MECARD:N:”,H2,”;ORG:”,I2,”;TEL:”,J2,”;EMAIL:”,K2,”;ADR:”,L2,”;URL:”,M2,”;NOTE:”,N2,”;;”)
The strategy for generating the URLs for QR Codes using Google Chart API may vary in case if you are using separate form of database. Once you have created the URLs, you can easily embed them in the site or print them by visiting the file on browser.
Now I can go a long way to discuss on how you can embed them. For your convenience, I have done all the trouble in the embeded spreadsheet below. You can download and use it to generate QR Codes and also embed in in a printable format.
The Embed Code in the spreadsheet some times come with double (2) double quotation marks in HTML when you try to paste the embed codes in other HTML Editors. Please find and replace double (2) double quotation marks with single double quotation marks, before finally using them for print. You might also see that there are starting and ending double quotation marks in the embed codes, delete them as well to make it work for you. Feel free to change the codes into the design you like best.
If, I have saved your time, feel free to comment below, like, and share the article with your friends. And if you feel it’s too geeky for you, then consider this Gig for $5 in Fiverr: I will create Custom Designed Qr Code Badges from CSV Database for Events for $5
Some of my other articles on QR Codes:
QR Code Marketing and Advertising Ideas and Strategies for Internet Marketing
How to Turn Your Billboard into an Interactive Marketing Campaign and Measure ROI
© Asif Anwar of SEOPPCSMM.COM - Source: Generate QR Code with Google Chart API in Bulk from Excel Worksheet
9 Tips for Optimizing Your Website for Mobile Users
Is your website meeting the needs of on-the-go mobile users?
When you’re developing your first mobile site, you may be at a loss. That’s understandable—a mobile website is an entirely different animal from a traditional website.
Given that, it’s important to keep some best practices in mind as you develop your mobile presence.
What follows are 9 best practices you can use to ensure your mobile site is as good as it can be.
About Mobile UsersBut before we dive into the 9 best practices, it’s important to keep one thing in mind—the person viewing your site is mobile.
That may seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised by how many people forget that simple truth.
When someone is mobile, they’re expecting an entirely different experience from the one they’ll get on your standard website.
For example, a mobile visitor is typically looking for a few key pieces of information: directions to your office, a click-to-call phone number or a map of your store locations. What they’re not looking for are lengthy staff bios, information about your corporate philosophy or PDFs of your latest press releases.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the 9 best practices for mobile website design that can help you create a site that puts your best foot forward.
#1: Simplify. Then Simplify Again. And AgainThe first step in creating a mobile site is determining what content you’ll include. Given the restricted amount of screen space, it’s important to figure out what key pieces of information your visitors will probably be looking for.
A store locator? Probably. A “Contact Us” form with 13 different fields to fill out? Not so much.
It’s also important to keep the steps involved in going from entry point to purchase as simple as possible. Fandango does a great job of this by eliminating much of their non-essential content to quickly bring their consumers what they want: movie times.
Fandango does more than just provide a simple mobile web design—they provide a mobile ticket, too, thus completing the sales cycle.
Better still, Fandango completes the sales cycle by providing a QR code that acts as a mobile ticket for the purchaser. Just bring the phone to the theater and have them scan the code there—it acts as the purchaser’s ticket.
#2: Plan Your Site LayoutMobile web pages will load slower than traditional web pages, so it’s important to keep the number of pages to a minimum. In addition, users won’t have the patience to click several pages deep on your site. Given that, it’s important to keep the site layout as streamlined as possible.
One technique I encourage people to use is to think like Steve Jobs. As you know, Jobs is famous for creating user experiences that are streamlined and intuitive. Put on your Steve Jobs hat to remind you to keep things as streamlined as possible. By doing so, your visitors will have a better experience when they’re on your site.
Domino’s must have been wearing their Steve Jobs hat when they developed their mobile site (and their brilliantly designed app). Instead of creating a cluttered site with confusing options, they simplified their site and limited it to the items people would most likely be searching for.
Domino’s used the Steve Jobs approach to website development—it’s an uncluttered site that provides limited navigation. Surprisingly, this minimalist approach improves the customer experience.
#3: Match the Branding Elements From Your Standard Site to Your Mobile SiteEven though your mobile site will be much more streamlined than your standard site, you’ll still want to incorporate the same branding elements on both sides of the equation.
This is important for two reasons. A mobile site is a brand touchpoint and, like any other property, should reflect and promote your brand essence. Also, for users who are already familiar with your company, a similar design will make them feel like they’re visiting an old friend, which is an important consideration for your most loyal customers.
Keep the color palette and the brand imagery consistent between your mobile site and your standard site.
The 60 Second Marketer site uses the same bright color palette and iconography in both the standard and mobile websites. The result is that a user who is familiar with the standard site will have a similar experience on the mobile site, too.
#4: Utilize White SpaceWhen designing any website, it’s a natural tendency to cram in as much information as possible. But fight that urge. Not only does white space give a cleaner, more sophisticated appearance, it also ensures that users can easily click the button they’re aiming for.
This mobile site for MSNBC does a good job of keeping enough padding around all of the text to ensure that the user is able to accurately select the content he or she is looking for.
#5: Avoid Flash or JavaThe obvious reason for avoiding Flash is that Apple products do not support Flashand have declared that they have no intention to do so in the future. Because iPhones make up about 30% of the smartphone market, a significant portion of your audience may not be able to access your content if you use Flash. Similarly, many phones do not support Java, and even if they do, using Java can be a huge drag on load time.
#6: Reduce the Amount of Text Entry NecessaryDo you suffer from fat-finger syndrome, which makes it difficult to use a smartphone keyboard? Most of us have trouble typing on tiny keyboards. When possible, use dropdown menus, checklists and pre-populated fields as a means of data entry. This helps minimize the challenges people face when typing text into a smartphone.
Take a cue from FedEx’s mobile site. Even though a lot of information has to be entered into the site to accomplish the user’s goal, the use of checklists and dropdown menus cuts down on the amount of text a user must enter.
FedEx pre-populates text fields to make data entry easier for their visitors.
#7: Do Not Use Pop-Up WindowsNavigating between multiple tabs and browser windows is more difficult on mobile and can cause slow load times. If you need to open a new browser window, make sure you alert your user so that they know how to navigate back to the original page.
#8: Use Mobile RedirectsOnce your site is designed and ready to go, make sure to put redirects in place that will sniff out when a visitor is using a mobile device and direct him or her to the mobile-optimized version of the site. For a more detailed description on how to do this, check out 5 Simple Steps to Getting Started With Mobile Marketing.
Once your redirects are in place, any mobile user who types in your web address or clicks on a link in a search engine will be sent to the mobile-optimized version of your site.
#9: Allow People to Visit the Full SiteYou’ve worked hard on your mobile site. You want people to see it and you want people to love it. But the fact of the matter is, even if you’ve done a good job paring down your content, there will likely be someone who wants information you’ve chosen not to display.
As such, make sure you include links on multiple pages that allow the user to return to the full version of the site. You can see this feature on most mobile websites including USA Today, the Geek Squad, the Home Depot and Target.
Here the Geek Squad allows users to return to the main site at any point with a link at the bottom of the page.
Because mobile sites are a new landscape for most marketers, designing and building them can be a bit of a challenge. However, mobile sites also bring an awesome opportunity to showcase your brand and your creativity. As long as you keep the user’s needs top-of-mind, stay true to your brand and follow a few simple rules, you will have the hang of it in no time.
