With so-called “responsive design” now making it easier for brands and organization to optimize their mobile platforms, the conversation has started to shift to how to create a mobile layout that will engage audiences and keep them coming back. That presents both challenges and opportunities for communicators of all stripes.
A discussion focusing on enhancing mobile communications helped to kick off the PRSA Counselors Academy Spring Conference, which is being held in Key West, Florida.
The session, titled “The Future is Mobile: Optimizing PR Tactics for the Smartphone Era,” was hosted by Ben Garrett, chief get it done officer, The Garrett Group.
Garrett stressed that as mobile technology matures, PR pros need to double down on mobile design and messaging. “It’s more about the aesthetics than the technical stuff,” said Garrett. “It comes down to what something should look like [and] how should it function.”
Of course, the design of the site has to be part of a larger mobile effort. Garrett shared an acronym, “P.O.S.T,” to help PR pros cultivate a mobile communications strategy:
- P. People. Assess your constituents and their social media activities.
- O. Objectives. Decide what your brand or organization wants to accomplish with a mobile platform.
- S. Strategy. Plan for how relationships with your constituents will change via your mobile efforts.
- T. Tracking. How do you monitor and define success?
When it comes to budgeting for mobile, Garrett said a third of the budget should be devoted to site design, a third to building audience and engagement and the last third to ongoing maintenance and monitoring.
Follow Matthew Schwartz on Twitter: @mpsjourno1