How to develop your brand and blog for a mobile audience

Aug 11, 2013

Optimizing for your brandWhile the brand is being developed, blogging to attract mobile users in today’s climate is paramount. Your website should be able to be viewed across any platform browser or any computer. Test your blog content and see how it displays on any mobile device available to you. Make sure the content appears user-friendly and compact.

Optimizing the site for mobile friendliness:

Be ready to “go mobile.” Some blogs optimized for larger viewing (for a computer) may not fit onto a tiny mobile screen. If your current website is not optimized for mobile users, make sure it is changed to do so as you re-design the site in the future. There are different applications available to convert the current site to mobile as it stands. If you are using Word Press for blogging, there are plugins available such as the  WP plugin for targeting mobile users.

Comments and Responses from visitors to the site:

If you enable the commenting function in your blog area, this will encourage reader participation. However, you must be prepared for whatever comments you receive. Many company blogs do not allow for commenting due to the nature of some comments being seen as “inappropriate.” The decision to allow or not to allow commenting is determined solely by the company and staff. For a more private forum to educated the audience, you may not need to allow commenting. This is your call.

Deactivating members authority of use:

Most comment forms require the user’s email, name, phone, etc. This allows you to activate or deactivate them at any time. This function is necessary since you have no control over what is posted. For an extra measure of protection, you can have your IT person add a CAPTCHA element which generates passwords. This element will help to let you know if each commenter is human and not a spammer.

Types of comments received from your readership:

If you receive a comment that is less than complimentary, it is not all bad. These comments sometime help you to grow. Accepting criticism is hard for all of us but sometimes necessary to point out areas of our business which need to change. However, if you find the comment to be destructive or critical to the blog itself, you have the option to blog that subscriber. If you plan in advance all elements you want to allow and not allow you will prevent some of the issues that might cause problems in the future.
Good luck with your blogging efforts. Remember that all blogs are forever and will be appreciated by all if they provide helpful information. Educate your blogging audience and make it a “mobile effort.”
Jean Holland-Rose, Chief Creative Officer
Inside Design Orlando

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