Emerge Inc. Blog

I’ve had my Verizon HTC Incredible, an Android device, for just over 2 months. In that time, it’s really changed the way I utilize the Internet and how I find information I need. It’s made it much simpler to consume information and gives me a new ability to find what I am searching for.

Below are a few ways I’ve been using my phone and some thoughts on how you might take advantage of the fast growing market.

Directions

I use an App that gives me turn-by-turn directions directly from Google. The great thing about this App, I don’t always need to know the address. If I know I’m going to a specific restaurant, I can speak or type the name and city, and it searches for the address automatically. It then gives me directions from wherever I am at that moment.

How to Take Advantage: Always make sure your public information is accurate in search engines, directories, and anywhere else you have it listed. Manage your Google or Yahoo directory listings to maximize the information people can quickly see about you. Be aware of the ways people are finding information out about you.

Surfing the Web

Depending on where I am, I’ll find myself searching websites to find information on something I’m searching for or just to keep up with what is going on. This has gotten easier on Smart Phones as Mobile Websites have become more popular. Mobile Websites will utilize the phone’s technology, which helps to enhance the user’s experience.

How to Take Advantage: Speak with your Web Developer to see if your website is optimized for a Mobile Site. See if it makes sense for you to have one set-up. Smart phones are getting better at reading full websites, but for your organization it might be best to have an optimized version for your potential users.

Search

The way I search on my phone is much different than on a regular computer. Searching on a desktop/laptop computer gives me time to go through multiple pages to find the best piece of information for my search. On my phone, I always gravitate to the first few listings of my search. I don’t dig as deep for the information so I look for the quality at the top.

How to Take Advantage: Search Engine Optimization. It’s a term you’ve probably heard but may not know what it means. In a nutshell, it focuses on getting the Search Engines (Google, Yahoo!, Bing, etc.) to rank you higher on their list during relevant searches. Speak to your Web Development team about putting a SEO plan together that makes sense for you in the long run.

As the technology continues to evolve and grow even more popular, people will consume more and more information on their phones than ever before.