Most music artists of our generation recognize the importance of the Internet in propelling their careers. Websites and social media tools like Twitter and Facebook enable artists to easily connect with fans, industry talent executives and the media like never before. Chances are you’re already using these tools to market yourself.
That said, the days of needing a big, clunky PC to surf the web are far behind us. Internet access has expanded dramatically, with Wireless technologies making the Internet accessible from almost anywhere in the world.
That said, the days of needing a big, clunky PC to surf the web are far behind us. Internet access has expanded dramatically, with Wireless technologies making the Internet accessible from almost anywhere in the world.
This means that more and more people are using mobile devices to stay connected while on the move. Although laptop computers have contributed to the portability of the net, nothing has made more of a contribution than that of the smart phone. The smart phone (e.g. iPhone, Android and Blackberry) has literally revolutionized mobile Internet access for billions of users.
And, while the growth of the mobile web has been exponential, we’re still just at the beginning of this cycle. A recent study by the investment bank Morgan Stanley suggests that, based on the current rate of change and adoption, the mobile web will be bigger than desktop Internet use by 2015.
What does this mean to you? It means that if you still plan to have a career in the music industry in 2015 and beyond, you absolutely need to have a sound mobile marketing strategy.
Mobile Website or Mobile App: what's the difference?
Mobile websites and apps can look very similar at first-glance. Both apps and mobile websites are accessed on handheld devices such as smartphones. and tablets. Nevertheless, they serve entirely different purposes.
A mobile website is similar to any other website in that it consists of browser-based HTML pages that are linked together and accessed over the Internet. The obvious characteristic that distinguishes a mobile website from a standard website is the fact that it is designed for the smaller handheld display and touch-screen interface.
Like any website, mobile websites can display text content, data, images and video. They can also access mobile-specific features such as click-to-call (to dial a phone number) or location-based mapping.
On the other hand, apps are actual computer applications that are downloaded and installed on your mobile device, rather than being rendered within a browser. Users visit device-specific portals such as Apple’s App Store, Android Market, or Blackberry App World in order to find and download apps for a given operating system.
The app may pull content and data from the Internet, in similar fashion to a website, or it may download the content so that it can be accessed without an Internet connection.
For the purpose of establishing your career, a mobile website is almost always going to make sense as a practical first step in your mobile outreach strategy. This is because a mobile website has a number of inherent advantages over apps:
- Immediacy – Mobile Websites Are Instantly Available
A mobile website is instantly accessible to users via a browser across a range of devices (iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, etc). Apps on the other hand require the user to first download and install the app from an app marketplace before the content or application can be viewed - a significant barrier between initial engagement and action/conversion.
- Compatibility – Mobile Websites are Compatible Across Devices
A single mobile website can reach users across many different types of mobile devices, whereas native apps require a separate version to be developed for each type of device.
- Upgradability – Mobile Websites Can Be Updated Instantly
A mobile website is much more dynamic than an app in terms of pure flexibility to update content. If you want to change the design or content of a mobile website you simply publish the edit once and the changes are immediately visible; updating. On the other hand, an App requires the updates to be pushed to users, which then must be downloaded in order to update the app on each type of device.
- Findability – Mobile Websites Can be Found Easily
Mobile websites are much easier for users to find because their pages can be displayed in search results and listed in search engines and industry directories. Most importantly, visitors to your regular website can be automatically sent to your mobile site when they are on a handheld device.
- Shareability – Mobile Websites Can be Shared Easily by Publishers, and Between Users
Mobile website URLs are easily shared between users via a simple link (e.g. within an email or text message, Facebook or Twitter post). Publishers can easily direct users to a mobile website from a blog or website, or even in print. An app simply cannot be shared in this fashion.
I already have a website so no worries, right?
Wrong. Unfortunately, your regular website is not going to cut it. There is a fundamental design difference between a regular website and a mobile website.
On a mobile phone, there is a very limited amount of screen space. If you have ever had to side scroll to view something on a website, you realize how much of an inconvenience it is. This is magnified on a mobile device. Even with the ability to turn the device lengthwise, the resolution is still extremely small.
There are numerous mobile phone emulators that can show you what your website will look like on a mobile device, and I can guarantee it is probably a terrible experience for a mobile device user. Also, here are a few other facts to consider:
1) 1/5 of Americans access the mobile web each day
This percentage is increasing every year. If you’re not representing yourself on the mobile web, your competition surely will take up the opportunity.
2) Mobile web will overtake the desktop within 5 years
Not only will the mobile web inevitably overtake the desktop, but also usage and adoption is growing at a much faster rate than the desktop did. In the very near future, the vast majority of visitors to your website will be on a mobile device.
3) 93% of U.S. adults own a cell phone
Not all cell phones have Internet access capabilities, but that is currently the trend. Smart phones are not the only ones with access to the web. Standard phones are coming out with Qwerty keywords and website browsers seemingly every single month.
4) Very few artists currently have mobile friendly websites
Which means that if you’re reading this, chances are fairly high that you are already a step ahead of other artists competing for the hearts, minds and wallets of fans and industry executives alike.
5) Mobile advertising spending will surpass $6.5 billion in 2012
Ad spend is a great indicator for the current status of an industry. If someone is willing to spend their hard earned money putting their products in front of users on the mobile web, you can assume there is a pretty good reason for it. Furthermore, if they continue to spend more year after year, that indicates that the previous years investment paid off. And that is exactly how mobile advertising is trending across the board.
6) People average 13 hours online per week, up from 7 in 2002
As online usage increases regardless of the device used, accessibility is going to be the next lever to increase online usage.
As you can see, the mobile web is clearly trending up and has a lot of room to grow. If you're thinking about the future of your music career, a mobile website is the closest thing to a sure bet as you can get.
Isn't creating your own mobile website expensive?
Your cost depends on you. Specifically, your personal tastes, preferences, design requirements and your personal comfort level with Internet technology. Premium mobile design tools can set you back $300-500. That said, it doesn't need to. Services like VistaPrint and Wix actually allow you to create and maintain a mobile website for as low as $10.00 per month. Of course, you will have to learn how to use the tools which isn't as difficult as it sounds, even for beginners.
The value of having a mobile website will definitely be worth the cost and effort. You will have a site that fans, industry executives and the media can access, share and enjoy 24x hours a day, 7 days a week from virtually anywhere in the world!
If you can afford it, another option is to have someone else build and maintain your mobile website. Reputable website designers will charge at a minimum a few hundred dollars for their services. Again, the costs it depends on your specific needs, situation and budget.
Whether you build your mobile site yourself or pay someone to do it, having a mobile website ensures that your market is larger and that you do not lose those valuable mobile visitors.
One last tip: be sure to promote your site to audience members at your gigs. A lot of people will instantly access your site and they may even pass it along to their friends while you're still on stage. Every little bit of marketing you can do goes a long way when you're just starting to make a name for yourself!
If you're reading this from your own personal mobile device, be sure to check out AMP's mobile site. And, if you already have a mobile website, please weigh in on the subject and tell us about your experiences!
Isn't creating your own mobile website expensive?
Your cost depends on you. Specifically, your personal tastes, preferences, design requirements and your personal comfort level with Internet technology. Premium mobile design tools can set you back $300-500. That said, it doesn't need to. Services like VistaPrint and Wix actually allow you to create and maintain a mobile website for as low as $10.00 per month. Of course, you will have to learn how to use the tools which isn't as difficult as it sounds, even for beginners.
The value of having a mobile website will definitely be worth the cost and effort. You will have a site that fans, industry executives and the media can access, share and enjoy 24x hours a day, 7 days a week from virtually anywhere in the world!
If you can afford it, another option is to have someone else build and maintain your mobile website. Reputable website designers will charge at a minimum a few hundred dollars for their services. Again, the costs it depends on your specific needs, situation and budget.
Whether you build your mobile site yourself or pay someone to do it, having a mobile website ensures that your market is larger and that you do not lose those valuable mobile visitors.
One last tip: be sure to promote your site to audience members at your gigs. A lot of people will instantly access your site and they may even pass it along to their friends while you're still on stage. Every little bit of marketing you can do goes a long way when you're just starting to make a name for yourself!
If you're reading this from your own personal mobile device, be sure to check out AMP's mobile site. And, if you already have a mobile website, please weigh in on the subject and tell us about your experiences!
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