Each day, more and more internet-enabled mobile devices are reaching the hands of consumers. According to the U.N. Telecommunications Agency, the number of mobile phone subscriptions worldwide has reached 4.6 billion and is expected to reach 5 billion by the end of 2010. As the mobile industry grows and newer, more advanced mobile devices reach the market, a vast opportunity opens up for individuals and businesses alike to increase their exposure and reach more consumers.
More and more businesses are looking for more effective and innovative ways to reach their target market and increase their sales. Yet many of them are left wondering how to take advantage of the opportunity presented by the increasing capabilities of mobile devices.
My Personal Dilemma
As my own business continues to grow and I look for new, more effective ways to expand my own reach, I began looking to mobile devices as a way to gain greater exposure and increase brand awareness. I realize I provide a valuable service to my readers and clients as I continue on my quest to educate and train others on how to create a strong internet presence and succeed online. I’m also aware that many of my blog readers and clients are constantly on the go, and was therefore looking for a better way to continue to provide that value by reaching them through their various mobile devices.
With this in mind, I conducted an extensive search for ways to meet the goal of providing my content in a lightweight and easily accessible mobile device to serve my clients better. As a result, I’ve been able to successfully deploy a mobile version of my blog thus providing my clients and readers with a clean, light weight and easily accessible mobile version.
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Recommended Solutions
Following are some recommendations to help you take advantage of the mobile market to reach more consumers.
The following is a listing of just a few of the numerous mobile plugins for WordPress blogs that I’ve used or am currently using. There are several more, of course. Visit the plugins directory on WordPress.org and search mobile plugins, and you will be presented with several to choose from. Or you can search from the plugins page of your WordPress blogs admin page.
WPTouch
This is by far my favorite plugin for WordPress Blogs and the one I’m currently using. It successfully converts your blog into a much more mobile-friendly, light weight version which displays nicely on iPhones, iPods, Blackberry Storm and Android enabled phones. The mobile interface is clean and professional. The plugin detects when a visitor is viewing your WordPress blog from a mobile device and then displays the mobile version. Visitors can even turn this feature off from their mobile devices to view your full blog. It even allows you to choose what pages to display to mobile visitors, and you can customize the look and feel.
WordPress Mobile Pack
Another plugin for WordPress that detects when visitors are viewing your blog from a mobile device. This plugin comes with multiple mobile themes to customize the mobile version’s look and feel when displayed to visitors. It also has a mobile admin panel that allows you to manage your blog from your mobile device.
WordPress Mobile Edition
A simple, light weight plugin that also detects when a visitors is viewing your blog from a mobile device and displays it to them as a mobile-friendly version. This plugin enables a specific theme to be displayed on particular mobile devices, such as iPhone, Windows Mobile, and other mobile browsers.
Here you’ll find a listing of various mobile apps that will allow you to post new pages, blog posts, add and moderate comments and more! I’m always on the go and as a result I conduct much of my business from my iPhone, which I can’t seem to live without, LOL! These apps are iPhone apps. However, there are other services and applications out there for other mobile phone platforms. Conduct a search on Google for more.
WordPress 2.0 for iPhone
This nifty little app downloaded from Apple’s App Store allows you to administer multiple blogs from your iPhone. I often post new content, respond to and moderate comments and even add new pages to my blog. You can add text, links, and images to your blog, all from within this application.
iPhone App Creation Services
This should need no introduction. Imagine being able to expand your content and service to reach the millions of consumers who currently have or use an iPhone or iPod touch without knowing how to create your own iPhone app. The possibilities are endless!
Appmii.com
Appmii.com is an online service that allows you to create your own iPhone app and distribute it through Apple’s App Store. Having your own iPhone app is powerful and will allow you to brand yourself and/or your business more effectively to iPhone users. Imagine your customers are made aware of your app on your website or blog. Once installed on their iPhone, you can configure your app to push notifications of new content posts or provide video messages, sell products, and more! This can also become another revenue source for you as you can sell your app for a reasonable price through the Apple’s App Store! The power of this is virtually limitless!
There may be additional mobile application creation services for other mobile phone platforms; however, since I’m an avid iPhone user, I am unaware of them. Take the time to do the research for your various mobile device to see what’s available to make your blogging life a little easier while on the go.
These are just a few of the many methods I use to expand my blog’s reach to consumers through their mobile devices. Take the time to evaluate the applications and plugins to determine what will best help you meet your needs. Making it easier for your blog readers, website visitors and clients to access your content on the go has never been easier and will provide you with the ability to reach your target audience anywhere. If you are aware of any other methods to expand your blog’s reach to mobile devices, please feel free to share them in the comments below. I always look forward to hearing your comments, questions, and feedback!
To Your Success!
Sean Smith
[http://powerofmore.net]
Read the original article: Mobile Devices Provide Greater Reach [http://powerofmore.net/business_building_tips/increase-your-market-reach-go-mobile/]
Sean Smith is the owner of a successful internet marketing, SEO and social media advertising consulting service company where he consults individuals and small to mid-sized businesses on creating a strong internet presence to allow them to succeed online. As a veteran of the web design industry, Sean has helped countless thousands achieve success on the internet through his blog Powerofmore.net.
