With all the new phones, ultramobile computers, net books and pdas being released in the next year or so, we are going to see a massive increase in web browsing from mobile devices.

It’s good to see people are finally starting to pay attention to Mobile Web content.

For too long it’s been an ’also ran’ repurposing of desktop content that content providers threw up at the last minute without even bothering to monitor traffic (didn’t matter most of the time as the content was static and unchanging anyway).

I’ve said for a long time, if someone visits your mobile site and you dont have any analytics and dont know anything about them or their visit…..does it count (as a homage to the saying “if a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear”).

If you run a mobile web site check out Amethon’s Mobile Analytics from http://www.Amethon.com

One of the worlds first analytics applications specifically built for mobile browsers.
With no page tagging, artifacts or javascript we offer a real time analytics solution with no overhead or lag.

You can finally see what your mobile web visitors are trying to tell you about your mobile content…….good or otherwise. At least then you will be able to move forward offering dynamic mobile web content that interests your visitors.

Cheers,
Dean Collins
http://www.Amethon.com

The Mobile Web is already huge in many other areas of the world that have far greater wireless broadband penetration like parts of Western Europe and countries like Japan and Korea.

The U.S. is sadly behind those places when it comes to broadband and wireless broadband, but we’re making strides nonetheless.

AT&T announced that it is greatly expanding it’s 3G network to more cities and markets. Verizon already has a huge 3G infrastructure that will probably continue to grow. Plus, wireless carriers will begin to roll out 4G networks in the coming years, which will be much faster.

Plus, we can’t forget about the 700mhz wireless spectrum that Google, Verizon and others are bidding on. It will probably be used to roll out wireless broadband all over the U.S. There is also the prospect of WiMax.

So, to make a long story short, I envision this happening in most of the U.S. There will always be issues with getting rural areas covered in the U.S., but that goes for broadband as well. Major markets overseas are already going to the mobile Web anyway, and more densely populated areas will be getting more and more wireless data connectivity.

The data networks, however, have existed for a few years now, but the biggest change has been in devices. The iPhone harnesses the power of the mobile Web much better than other smartphones. Look for more devices to mimic the iPhone in the coming years.

I would say that much of what applies to the Web also applies to the mobile Web. SEO is a perfect example of that. Good video works well in both formats. The iPhone is one of the first smartphones to really do video well, and in the coming years we’ll see more and more smartphones with big, bright screens.

The point I’m trying to make is that it’s even more important now to make a strong push onto the Web, because people are using the Web even more now that the mobile Web is maturing. Good Web products will work well in both formats.

Papers that have strong Web products will be able to transition over to mobile Web products much more seamlessly. Yes, it makes sense to have a mobile version of your Web site available if people prefer a simpler version for mobile viewing, but strong Web content will still look good on new smartphones with full Web browsers.

The mobile Web is part of that market share, and newspapers really need to be going where users are going. But if a paper hasn’t remotely understood the Web yet, it is really is positioning itself poorly for the mobile Web. The advent of the mobile Web should be the ultimate wake up call for newspapers to start making a strong push onto the Web.

The mobile Web is still very young. Good news outlets can get out in front of it.

I’m actually surprised no one has jumped on the idea of an exclusive and independent mobile media outlet. Something that is specifically designed for mobile phones. CNN and and the NYT render just fine but they have a ways to go for ease of use on a phone.

The mobile Web is only a fragment of the overall revenue pie. You still have to start “getting” video, search optimization, etc. In fact I think that’s where the focus should be if you’re strapped. If you don’t have a strategy in those areas, get there before thinking mobile.

If anything else, your sites should be able to detect mobile browsers and AT THE VERY LEAST allow you to read text only articles.

This isn’t going to earn most papers a lot of money. Not yet. Probably not even for a long time. The point is market share. Own local search terms. Dominate that market now and add features later. Because you’ll have much more catching up to do if you fall behind.