Getting MOBI right with HCA - Advantage Nov 09

Mobi sites are the marketing 'must-haves' of the moment. If your brand doesn't already have one, no doubt you are talking to your digital agency about one. But don't be surprised when the first proof drops onto your mobile screen - it may not be the first-class brand experience you were expecting, especially when compared to your current super-blinged online experience. But don't despair, pioneering technology and a wealth of development experience means that it doesn't have to be this way.

The fast facts tell us that there are twice as many mobile phones in the world as there are television sets, and four times as many mobile phones as there are computers. In South Africa these tiny devices are already the primary means of surfing the Net by a factor of two to one!

The reality is that for much of the world, mobile websites are in their infancy, and the vast majority of digital agencies are playing catch-up trying to get to grips with the challenges of designing and developing for these more limited but ubiquitous internet devices.

So how do you create a brand complimenting mobi site that's as easily navigated and enjoyed on a mobile phone with a screen the length of your thumb, as one that's the size of your entire hand? With so many brands and so many models, and capabilities ranging from simple text to various formats of images, audio and video, how does your agency ensure that your new mobi site operates effectively, does your brand justice and delivers the perfect user experience onto every handset?

One size definitely does not suit all...

Most agencies claim to be 'mobile capable' but is this really enough? Most are simply producing tiny basic HTML based sites as a solution. The usual approach is to develop for the lowest common denominator screen size or somewhere in between - which is why your new mobi site is somewhat sparse and looks tiny on your large screen Blackberry or iPhone (if it works at all).

But the ideal solution is the use of Handset Content Adaptation, the technology that has the ability to automatically detect which cellphone is being used to access your mobi site, and then immediately adapts the site in question to suit the particular specifications of that phone. Within milliseconds of you accessing the mobi site, HCA technology will pick up screen size and resolution, assertain whether or not the handset can accommodate drop downs, audio or video streams, and even which type of image format it supports. Then, the content, site imagery and layout is automatically adjusted accordingly, to ensure that the content is delivered in a usable and - dare I say it? - even enjoyable format.

HCA is finally enabling mobi sites to rival websites for design and usability and ensure that they gain their rightful place towards the head of the cyber queue. It is harnessing this technology that will help you on your way to creating the perfect user experience, whether your customer is surfing with the most basic handset, or the latest and greatest smart phone.

As it stands, however, only a handful of mobi sites use this technology and it is usually limited to only detecting and adapting to only a handful of top-selling models. But as the mobile world explodes and users realise that they can enjoy better browsing experiences on their phones, so too will the need for this technology and the specialist skills needed to execute it.

Needless to say, the technology itself is advancing at an exponential rate and Prezence, one of Africa's most prominent new media agencies, is leading the local charge. Over the past 5 years, we have been using and developing HCA extensively to create leading mobi sites for the likes of Ster-Kinekor and Discovery Health Foods, and more recently have completely mobilised entertainmentafrica.com (.mobi), proving the point that when executed properly, mobi sites can deliver great user experiences on all phones without having to compromise or cut down on content (millions of items in this case).

HCA is much more than just a technology we are constantly pushing, it is a complete methodology that we have worked hard in developing over the years. Great user experiences do not come from the technology alone, instead, our team consider and develop multiple design layouts and approaches to the user experience for each mobi site, culminating in rich and rewarding brand interaction for the user regardless of his handset type.

User experience for a brand is a lot more than just pretty graphics, at Prezence we approach mobile design and consider every possible user experience with the same magnitude as we do online and touch. Building a good mobi site is a highly specialised undertaking, we have a lot more to think about, but there is no reason whatsoever why your mobi site should be the poor cousin to your online prezence.

Whilst adapting mobi sites for over 5000 current phones, Prezence also future-proof mobi sites to cater for phone sizes that have yet to be released. This will ensure that complex but very user-focused mobi sites such as EWN (Eye Witness news) and Computicket (currently in-build) serve the brands and their users for many years to come, whilst ensuring a very solid investment for the client. It is vital that brands properly research their agency's mobile 'capabilities'. Being capable is simply not enough.

Every brand touchpoint should be a positive and fulfilling experience for every customer, the mobile world does not need to be the exception to this rule any longer.

So when you're next presented with the first incarnation of your mobi site, ask to see the other 30 versions. Seriously.