Tag Archives: iPad

Does the New iPad Change Mobile Web Content?

Much has been made of the New iPad, focusing heavily on the new ‘Retina’ display which has a pixel density greater than that of a 40″ plasma TV (for the non-technical reader that means you can fit more stuff on the screen at once). This sudden rise in available screen real estate presents web designers and content managers with a dilemma – how much should I put on each screen? Picture of the New iPad

Previously we discussed the importance of brevity when creating mobile-friendly websites because screen sizes meant that visitors were unlikely to spend a great deal of time and effort scrolling through screens. With it’s greater capacity however, the New iPad negates this argument doesn’t it?

Despite selling over 3 million units in less than four days, the New iPad is still a comparative rarity when it comes to the mobile web. There are still plenty of first and second generation iPads in circulation in addition to the plethora of Android-powered alternatives. Factor in smartphones with their 4 inch-ish screens and the answer is obvious. Mobile web content must still be short and to the point if it is to succeed.

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Until Samsung and other tablet manufacturers start shipping high definition screens on their tablets (which they invariably will in the near future), web content writers must abide by the same rules before to ensure that their articles and copy grabs the reader’s attention and converts into sales. The mobile web is here to stay and increasing in value every year. It is imperative that sites be designed and populated with mobile users in mind if they are to be a success.

The New iPad has certainly changed the tablet market again, but the wider impact on m-commerce and mobile web content will take a little longer. For now, short and sweet is still the order of the day.

If you would like further advice from Tech Write about producing written content for mobile web sites or would like to investigate the possibility of altering your existing website for use by mobile device users, please get in contact today.

 

Writing Mobile Web Content

The explosion in popularity of mobile devices like smartphones and tablet computers has created the need for mobile-optimised websites and written content to match. The small screens on an iPhone or iPad mean that website owner must be succinct when promoting goods and services for fear of losing potential business – the return however is well worth the trouble.

Major UK retailers like John Lewis have reported a large increase in purchases being made by customers using their mobile phone, up to 11% of their transactions this Christmas (last year it was just 3%). Internet auction site eBay are predicting that globally the m-commerce market will be worth $5 billion this year. As a result, businesses creating mobile-friendly websites are set to cash in by building consumer loyalty before their competitors enter the market space.

Mobile websites come with a number of inherent design problems which must be overcome if a site is to succeed. Slow internet connections and smaller screens make delivery of information to the customer more difficult, so the choice of words used for product descriptions and the like is critical. Essentially all content must be short and snappy.

Keep it short – people won’t scroll through pages of information when browsing on their mobiles, nor will they wait patiently for ages while it loads over a slow 3G signal. Short and sweet sells.

Make it snappy – grab your customer’s attention in the first paragraph or they will probably go elsewhere. Often mobile websites have just one chance to get a potential buyer engaged – blow that chance and you lose the sale.

So if you are considering your first m-commerce website, or simply considering a mobile-optimised version of your existing one, drop us a line for more information about our mobile website copywriting services