For our clients and friends: You may not know it, but your business could be missing out on some great exposure. This happens because deadline-driven publishers who also publish to mobile channels often don’t have time to backtrack to each and every content sponsor and advertiser (like you) to obtain the necessary graphic design elements that will work on the small screen. The result: your branding opportunity misses its deadline, limiting your exposure and diminishing your ROI, while the more experienced brands that collaborate well receive better coverage.
Here’s just one simple thing you can do to ensure you get maximum coverage for all your different mobile channel marketing efforts: Have your link buttons at the ready…and send them ahead!
No Buts about Buttons
Mobile marketing means your brand has to work well on the small screen. This means that your laptop-sized, screen-width banners and multi-color, fancy-font signs are probably not going to render well. For some examples of link buttons that work well on the mobile screen, see some QVew examples.
Solution: create two or three “button” sized graphics with a minimum 300dpi density, using various standard sizes. One should be exactly square shaped, the second should be approximately 4H x 6W (photo-landscape) dimensions, and the third one should be 6H x 4W (photo portrait) dimensions. If you’d like some assistance with this, contact us via this blog’s comment panel, or reach us here.
Each button should contain information that is visible when the button is approximately postage stamp size, to fit within or alongside two to three lines of copy text onscreen. Ideally, the final font size for any lettering on each button you create should be no smaller that the equivalent of 12 point Ariel. Any smaller, and it won’t be easy to view on the small screen. Preferably, the font size will be as large as possible yet still fit within the dimension of the button you are creating.
Links, Alt Text & Tags
When you submit your graphic buttons to your mobile channel partner, be certain to specify the link URL, so that viewers who click your link button are taken to the appropriate destination online. Also remember to provide “alt text” – a descriptive phrase – that will be visible to the legions of text-only message recipients. Many mobile business and consumer customers may receive text-only messages due to either budget constraints, corporate policy or their personal mobile account settings which may limit file size. QVew sends messages in both html and text formats to reach as broad an audience as possible – on their terms. The alt tag and alt text are a great way to boost audience response, and an essential step for communicating in both a text-only environment and a graphics-rich one.
Reinforce Your Brand
Be sure that your link buttons conform to your own brand guidelines in terms of color choice, font style etc., so your brand and good reputation are consistent and reinforced wherever your link buttons appear online.
Why Buttons Work
Without delving into a lot of science, consider this: people can’t resist clicking online buttons. Try it yourself: how long can you hold a mouse or phone in your hand without clicking on something? Link buttons are irresistible, and have quickly become a universally understood online navigation aid, making them an essential item in any marketer’s toolkit. Just by being there, your link button will boost your brand’s credibility. All you need to do is reinforce it by linking to your great content. The world is waiting!
Leave it to QVew
If workload or knowledge challenges are preventing you from making the most of your QVew experience, contact your sales/support representatiave, or leave a comment below.
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What has your experience been with graphics on the small screen? We’d be very interested to know, and welcome your comments. ~Ed
