Mobile Friendly Marketing: Converting Files For Seamless Cross-Device Experience
When you create content as a marketer, how can you ensure it can be opened, read, signed, or filled out across devices and operating systems (OS)?
Because all efforts are geared toward increasing visibility and engagement, it’s necessary to convert files into formats that suit certain or any platforms. After all, a file that can’t be read is a potential sale that goes down the drain.
There are around 5.18B Internet users globally, about 2/3 of the world’s population, with mobile users generating 58.33% of the online traffic. In the U.S., there are 310M users, with a projected revenue of USD$102B.
Currently, mobile devices run mostly on Microsoft Windows, Apple iOS, Google Android, and Linux.
But as more device types, brands, sizes, proprietary formats, versions, and capabilities enter the market, converting files into universally or widely accepted formats across smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers becomes problematic.
With most users on mobile devices that have less storage than conventional desktops and often running at lower Internet speed when used in transit, the urgency for marketers to keep the files uncorrupted and small for easier downloads becomes very real.
This article focuses on what software can do to convert files for a seamless cross-device experience.
Compatibility In Mobile Friendly Marketing
Mobile-friendly marketing is a strategy that makes your brand or content engaging on the small screen. It utilizes the convenience of mobile devices since people carry them at all times, and their use is skyrocketing!
Marketers keen on boosting sales for the company or creating a positive brand image can’t ignore this fact because 92% of Internet users in the U.S. are on smartphones.
Mobile-friendly marketing allows location-based services to gather customer information and offer them discounts, deals, or special promotions based on how near to a store or a place they visit frequently.
For example, a food-related coupon can be sent to a customer whenever they’re within a certain distance from a specific supermarket, or a restaurant menu can be downloaded.
These may sound simple, but they involve several processes for a targeted and personalized user experience.
Aside from geographically targeted marketing, it encompasses a range of strategies such as SMS marketing, push alerts, video messaging, and in-app promotions.
Regardless of the type of mobile marketing method employed, it’s essential to engage with customers at the most opportune moments while ensuring the least annoyance.
This means that not only should it be less intrusive, but it must also optimize the user experience with correct links, fast downloads, and files that open readily.
For the best exposure and engagement, the following should be addressed:
Website Optimization
If your website isn’t optimized for mobile use, loading speed can be gravely affected. Not only will visitors using mobile devices likely leave swiftly, but it could also negatively impact your search engine optimization SEO efforts.
Email Campaigns
Numerous marketers resort to email to showcase their products, announce news, or share links for purchasing with their target demographics, and rightly so because viewing email is the second most popular activity for 71% of smartphone users.
However, users don’t necessarily click on the CTA right there and then. Some need to weigh benefits or compare prices, and they may not be on their original device at the point of sale.
Thus, the email platform used should generate mobile-optimized renditions of content with no loss of data, malfunctioning hyperlinks, alterations in margins, fonts, or styling as the buyer switches from desktop to smartphone or from Google to Apple.
Social Media Posts
Globally, around 99% of social media users view websites and apps through mobile devices, with Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram as some of the most popular sites. This means that marketers shouldn’t create their content only with desktop in mind.
And given the varying content formats and presentation styles of different social media platforms, it’s essential to tailor posts to meet the specific requirements of each of these channels, ensuring they’re optimized for mobile viewing and sharing.
Users have come to expect a smooth transition between devices, so they don’t miss a beat when switching, especially at the point of purchase. However, this isn’t always the case because of the fragmentation between devices and operating systems.
The incompatibility of file formats can frustrate users and lead them to leave the site or abandon the cart altogether. Fortunately, with the right strategies and tools, this is a challenge that can be hurdled easily.
The Significance Of File Conversion
Clearly, modifying files to be easily viewed and interacted with on mobile devices is a concern. For instance, a video that plays smoothly on a desktop computer might be too large and slow to load on a mobile phone.
Converting this video into a smaller, compressed format can greatly enhance the mobile viewing experience.
Moreover, conversion minimizes compatibility issues, reduces the loss of data quality, and improves data exchange when switching devices across the digital landscape.
For instance, a good Word to PDF converter ensures that the PDF (portable document format) files can be downloaded without a change in formatting or corruption of images or links, so there’s fidelity to the original file.
More importantly, PDFs can contain interactive elements like clickable calls to action (CTAs) and URLs, which are essential for digital marketing.
File Conversion Techniques
Because some social media platforms can resize for the best user experience, there are instances when videos or images need to be precisely formatted to avoid loss of quality or transactions.
Converting Large Files Into Compressed Formats
One way to make your files mobile-friendly is by reducing their size. You can do this by converting large files into compressed formats.
For instance, if you have a high-resolution image, using a graphic conversion tool compresses the file to a JPEG format, significantly reducing the file size without noticeably decreasing the image quality.
This practice prevents issues like pixelation and unsightly image distortion, maintaining the professional appearance of your visuals.
By optimizing your photos for each social media platform’s feed, you can potentially boost user engagement. Additionally, it guarantees your audience views the complete image. Inaccurate sizing might result in truncating some of your brand’s message.
For instance, to be viewed correctly, a YouTube video should be 1280 x 720 pixels (horizontal) in size. Using the same video for Instagram Stories isn’t advisable unless you’re prepared for some black space around the video.
The recommended size for IG stories and FB reels is 1080 x 1920 pixels (vertical) with an aspect ratio of 9:16. The ideal image size would vary according to how it’s used. But whether using stock or custom photos, ensure that there’s no pixelation at the onset.
Mobile Friendly Formatting Of Graphics, Text, And Buttons
It’s essential to modify the content layout or design so it’s easy to navigate on a five-inch smartphone screen. Images, text, and buttons may need to be repositioned and resized to be easily viewable and clickable on a small screen.
For instance, use bigger, legible fonts so the user doesn’t squint. Ensure the paragraphs are short, the text doesn’t extend off the screen, and there’s sufficient spacing between lines and paragraphs for easy reading.
In some instances, PDF downloads can pose a problem if the parent document is made from Office or needs to be read using proprietary third-party software.
There are many tools available to convert Word documents into PDFs. However, free online conversion tools may contain viruses, have too many ads, and leave you no assurance that the files will get deleted after conversion.
Fortunately, there are paid options that are versatile, highly functional but easier on the pocket.
Ensure Responsive Design In Cross-Device Compatibility
Technological advances have made compatibility concerns easier to deal with. During the website design process, the default settings and content are designed to accommodate all screen sizes—desktops, tablets, and mobile phones.
However, responsive editing allows you to modify many of these components, like screen size and orientation, automatically for specific devices.
For instance, your website can dictate distinct font sizes or even different background images tailored to various screen sizes.
This makes the content look good on various devices, from small phone screens to laptops. For example, a responsive website might display its menu as a horizontal bar on a large screen but switch to a dropdown menu on a small screen to save space.
Conclusion
Marketing in the digital era entails having a smooth presence on all platforms and devices, especially on mobile phones, where most clients are.
Being adept in converting files is necessary so the message reaches the user and can be read across devices.
Numerous tools and software solutions are available to assist in transforming and fine-tuning your files for mobile devices while maintaining a desktop-like experience.
These range from image editors used for reducing image sizes, text converters for changing file formats, such as from Word to PDF, video converters to downsize videos, and web development utilities for establishing responsive web designs.
Such innovations make your content more accessible, convenient, and engaging for your audience, regardless of their device or platform.
