Many who travel are using smart phones and sometimes look things up on the web from their small handheld phone or PDA (portable data appliance). Once you have tried to look at a big site on a small phone, you can understand it is frustrating, especially when you simply wanted basic information such as a phone number or address.

Enter .mobi

The .mobi ending is like a .com, or .net.  The concept is to have a site that is mobile friendly. Think of a stripped down version of your site, with few graphics, etc. Basically, a business will create a very lean simple version of their Web site so it is more compatible with Web phone users.  One example I like is Blue Tangerine Solutions, which you can see at www.bluetangerinesolutions.mobi.  Remember to leave out the .com and replace it with a .mobi. Since they are a great web development company, this is no surprise. But other companies have their .mobi versions too.  Check out www.sequim.mobi/build.html or www.cnnmoney.mobi or this Philadelphia builder http://www.thp.mobi/.

Regardless whether you are a builder, trade partner, or associate, or whether you sell to businesses or consumers, you will need to know about this new method and format.  If you are a company touting yourself as "green" or technically competent, or on the cutting edge, this simple, inexpensive extension to your marketing efforts will pay off, most especially if you sell to people who are mobile and are inclined to be using a smart phone or PDA. Who uses smart phones?  Not surprisingly, every demographic, custom home buyers, first time, boomers, etc. When 70-86% (depending on the survey you look at) of a new home buying event starts with the Internet, builders who can react quickly stand to benefit more, and more quickly.  A good .mobi site will have your contact information, directions and possibly some basic information.  It also makes it easy for the phone user to navigate by including back buttons and eliminating long forms.  Also eliminate graphics as much as possible, since the phone user’s screen is quite small.  These sites are not expensive. Mobile web users already know about the .mobi extension for the most part, so there is no marketing effort per se, although you can easily promote it to your advantage, over your competition!