A couple years ago we saw the “localization” trend taking hold. Google was pushing Google Local Business Center, which is now Google Places, local review sites like Yelp! were getting lots of attention and local search was coming into its own.
The emergence of the “local web” has significant ramifications for all businesses, whether or not they’re built on a local business model, but now it’s getting really interesting. Enter the mobile web.
In a nutshell, we’re seeing the web gaining its freedom. Breaking out of the universities, offices and living rooms and into our pockets. This will significantly alter how we live our lives and how we do business in ways we can’t even imagine now.
As business people, website owners and web developers we need to be proactive and adaptive. For example, do you know how your website looks and functions on a phone? It’s time to find out because more and more of your customers will be using one to access your site.
Business models will change. Very soon a large percentage of smart phone users will be able to make and receive payments with their phones. You won’t need to take cash or have a credit card machine to sell to them. What if they don’t have one of those phones? No problem, you’ll be able to accept their credit card with your phone. . . anywhere, any time. This is exciting news for everyone — not just for the musician who will be able to jump off stage and sell downloads to members of the audience in the middle of a show.
I haven’t even mentioned mobile apps yet, which are a major driver of the revolution we’re experiencing. Many web designers are focusing their efforts on the mobile web and ignoring the app market because of the perceived difficulty of getting started in it. However, this is a huge misperception, as I found out last year when I started working with mobile. There are tools out there that many people are not aware of and that I will be discussing in future posts.
The bottom line is that it’s time to get mobile.