So we’ve talked at length about how you don’t actually have to worry about the nitty-gritties of your website such as programming and HTML code because your marketing consultant will do all of that for you. But, what if you don’t have a marketing consultant? Well, it’s time to hire one; and there’s no better time than when you’re getting ready to create and develop your mobile website. Before we delve into how to actually hire a marketing consultant to design your mobile site though, you first must understand what type of services different marketing consultants will offer you.
Mobilizing your existing site
You might think this is exactly what you want, but it’s the exact opposite. This is the difference between being a mobile website and a mobile-friendly website. A mobile-friendly website is one that can be found and viewed on a mobile phone. In essence, if you have a website, it’s already mobile-friendly from any cellphone because your customers can already view it from their phone. However, that doesn’t mean that they’ll have a good experience or that they’ll stick around. A mobile website on the other hand, is optimized for cellphones and mobile devices – meaning it’s a different site that’s meant to be viewed only on mobile devices. This latter is the type that you need. After all, you don’t even really need to hire anyone to make your site that’s already running mobile-friendly.
DIY Templates
Often marketing consultants will tell you that you can make your own mobile site with the templates that they’ll give you. With these templates, you’ll be able to fill in the pages that you want to include, as well as the content. While this may sounds like a cost-effective strategy, it’s going to cost you more in the long run. That’s because DIY templates look like just that – templates that can be found on hundreds of sites, making your site look just like all the others. Is that what you really want in your mobile site? Of course not! You need your business to stand out in every way, and that includes through your mobile website.
Custom Mobile Sites
You should only consider hiring a marketing consultant who will customize your entire mobile site for you. This means creating an entirely different site from your own, one with less content and fewer images and video (if any at all.) A consultant who can do this for you will be able to create custom features and make your site as functional as you need it to be. Even if you don’t need a huge, jazzy site, you should still only consider hiring a consultant that can customize your mobile site for you; because even the smallest sites can stand out from the crowd.
Now that you know the different types of services that marketing consultants can hire, let’s go over some brief, but key, elements that you should look for.