This is how your mobile portal becomes a success

The magazine ”Mobil” has just elected the 101 best mobile web pages in Denmark and the 101-list shows that Unwire is behind many of the best portals. Ivan Sandqvist from Unwire explains what the secret behind a successful mobile portal is. Among other things, it has to be fast and easy for the users to find relevant information. And the customer must be committed and see the mobile portal as a strategical solution.

Unwire is behind nine in ten of the best news sites and behind four in ten of the best entertainment sites. That was the conclusion made by the magazine ”Mobil” which recently elected the 101 best mobile web pages in Denmark.

But how do you create a successful and well-attended mobile portal? According to Unwire business development director Ivan Sandqvist, it is among other things about adjusting the website to the mobile phone:

”A website cannot be transferred to the mobile phone without adjustments because you do not surf your mobile like you surf the internet. On the mobile phone, you are looking for specific information and you want it fast. Therefore navigation and design must be clear and intuitive. You must be able to gain all needed information by using the mobile keys and not by typing. Also it must be possibly to personalise the content. If the user e.g. is mostly interested in watching sports news and finance, it must be possible to adjust the mobile display to show only that news”.

Recognisability from ordinary websites
To provide the visitors with joy in using the mobile portal, it is according to Ivan Sandqvist also useful to add functions which remind of the functions on ordinary websites.

”We help several of our customers with functions like video streaming, breaking news, personalised services including personal links. With regards to the entertainment sites, it is important that the users can upload pictures and that there is a possibility to send content to other users. This way the users can show each other what they find interesting on the mobile platform”.

A strategical commitment
A successful mobile portal is not only about having a supplier like Unwire on your team with their knowledge about technique and distribution. It is likewise important that the customers regard the portal as a strategical commitment:

”A good mobile platform demands that the customer is active and committed to the project. As supplier of mobile platforms, you must want and find it interesting to find the right content and adjust it to the mobile phone. Our role is to be a technical development house and we are not usability experts. On the contrary, we are technical supporters who make things happen. Therefore, the customer must decide how they want to present themselves on the mobile platform and how that coincides with their online profile”, says Ivan Sandqvist.

The customer can even do the work themselves by help from Unwire’s self service systems where the customers can develop solutions including running and maintenance of the platform.

”It is in particular important for many large customers who do not want to become dependent on external suppliers when they want to enter the market fast with a new type of service”, says Ivan Sandqvist.