Why you need a smart phone website

Incredible growth in smart phone search

Did you know that smart phone use is growing at the rate of 400% per year. Much of this is leading to a quiet revolution in the use of the web for search. That's why we've have a mobile specific platform to our clients called YouCardQR.

Think about your own use. What do you or your family do when they are searching for a local business they just heard about in a conversation? Sure there are some that go through the old Yellow Pages hunt, though most pick up their phone and type in a search query, like 'gluten free pizza', 'tea house', 'insurance agent', 'chiropractor' or 'fruit store'.

Being local does give you an edge

All of those searches above and more will return local results first, if you've set your site up correctly. Assuming of course that you have a website for your business.

Remember most smart phones know approximately your location through their GPS or WiFi systems so they will look for reputable local business sites.

BUT if your website is made for a  large computer screen, what does it look like on a mobile cell phone?For most people the answer is "pretty small and difficult to read".

Don't rely on your old website

This short video will explain the difficulties of relying on your old website. It's not just about the size of the website.

Smart phones have touch screens

Remember that a mobile site will be used with a touch screen where people expect to be able to touch and call you phone number, touch and link to your map location, touch and link to you FB or Twitter page.

Simple Smart phone ready

Our YouCardQR platform has all these links in them natively with big buttons and quick links. See an example below of one of our customers.

Contact us at

Email: admin@organise.net.au
Twitter: @OrganiseInt
Call on: +61 2 4325 1298

International enquiries welcome

Digital Economy on a Bicycle

After a recent visit to South Australia to assist in the launch of a so called Digital Enterprise Centre I came away with a tasty new view of economic development.

The village of Willunga in the vales south of Adelaide is renowned throughout the cycling world for its infamous hill that is an annual fixture in the ever-expanding Tour Down Under. The three-kilometre hill is broadcast to tens of millions of viewers each and every January, as the world's best cyclists fight each other for the title of 'King of the mountain'.

Yet Willunga and the surrounding district is also a centre of both local fresh food markets and the super-high-speed internet through the National Broadband Network (NBN) pilot program. The village is therefore an eclectic mix of events and possibilities that on the surface don't naturally fit together. Yet, I soon discovered 'oil and vinegar' make for great salad dressing.

The farmer's market in Willunga is held every Saturday morning in the town square and features both real farmers and real local food. As a result it has won local, state and national awards for its food and atmosphere. Locals walk or ride their bikes to stock up on fresh food, wines and bakery items. Others also come from as far away as northern Adelaide to get the best and freshest food that can be found. In many ways the area has echoes of provincial France or Italy, and its older colonial homes and small churches complete the milieu.

The farmer's market organisation, though, has also been infected with innovative ways. The marketing and development managers have spawned the idea of replicating the real market place as a Virtual Farmer' Market, which has set heads a-spinning.

The idea that has been prototyped allows people to walk through a virtual market in 3D and visit the tents and stalls as they are in reality. The young team that's working on the project has been inspired by the possibilities their local NBN roll out has afforded them: the opportunity to create new and innovative services to augment the market is driving optimism and change.

Billy Doecke and Dave Abrahams at the Willunga Markets.
Photo courtesy of Dave Abrahams.

Billy Doecke, part of the innovation team, speaks enthusiastically of the possibilities of the emerging new 3D service. She says they’re hoping to create video introductions of the stall holders so people can get to know them before they arrive and purchase produce. They’re also keen on getting the sellers to list what they are selling each week so people can view online what will be sold at the markets on Saturdays.

Now, having left Willunga, I feel a little sentimental - not so much for their provincial setting and fresh food, but for the positive and innovative atmosphere that they are building on the back of their NBN roll out. I hope to be able to inspire a similar change in my regional economy when the NBN rolls out on the Central Coast of NSW later this year.

Perhaps fresh local food, wine, optimism and superfast networks can deliver a new economic renaissance to many regions across Australia. Oh, and with such high speed 3D virtual reality don't forget your bicycle helmet.

Article originally published on myregion.com.au.

Social Business - travel

The term 'Social Business' is accelerating through the modern online vernacular and for good reason. Businesses and organisations, governments and NGOs are all frantically trying to apply a largely personal technology to enhancing business outcomes.
The big question remains. "Does social media lend itself to profitable business applications?". The risks are clear from a manager's point of view TIME WASTING. Though there are clearly some examples, that have worked, at least in raising the profile of various campaigns. Used in a disciplined way some savvy organisations are making social media work.
One such organisation that has turned the use of social media on it's head was the successful European airline Norwegian. They recognised that people wanted to use social media all the time, so they made it available for all their travelling customers during the entire flight for free. They certainly gained a lot of goodwill and cashed in on the service big time.
In this video OI principal consultant Dave Abrahams talks around the opportunities around travelling.

See also our Social Business Retail blog entry here.

Social Media Addiction in business

What does an addiction to social media mean for the work place? Well if you jump on the stereo-typical bandwagon we'll be thinking about stupid rude teenagers in customer service roles. Though this is way too simple, most employees have social media accounts these days and most of the keenest new users are middle aged.