The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/27607
mobile website stimulating, so these users will come back and become repeat visitors. • Repeat Visitors – These mobile users have visited your main or mobile website before, and are now coming back to get specific information such as an attorney file, or information on an industry development. Your goal should be to figure out what they are accessing, and make sure those targets are less than three or four clicks away. • Urgent (Now) Visitors – These users need immediate information, such as directions or contact information for attorneys. For these users, you need to identify the areas accessed most frequently, and make this information less than a click away. SELECTING A DESIGN OPTION When you’re ready to take the plunge into this new, exciting mobile website world, you’ll need to select the design option that best fits your firm’s goals. What are your options? There are a number of different designs that your firm could choose to implement: • Splash Page – If you’re not fully committed to launching a full-mobile website, this could be a good option for you. A splash page would involve a custom-tailored design that is optimized for a given mobile device. Essentially, your firm takes its existing website and adds on a tiny website with information such as contact info, directions and a prominent link to visit your full website. This option is less costly to maintain and easier to implement; however, it may result in creating a disjointed Web experience for visitors. The reality is that a splash page is more of a stop-gap solution, likely only putting off the inevitable. • Scaled-Back Text Version – This mobile website version would provide limited content such as home page, people search, bios, office listing, contact info and directions. It would strip out a lot of images to make your website load faster, which should help repeat and urgent visitors get the information they’re looking for much faster. This is a more tailored mobile experience than the splash page option; however, users are also not getting a full mobile experience. This type of mobile website also may not reflect an innovative brand that shows technology leadership. • Mobile-Optimized Design – This choice would involve creating a mini website, essentially a scaled-back version of the main website that is design-optimized for a smaller screen using templates and targeted content. With mobile-optimized design, your firm can demonstrate that they are embracing technology and showing innovation. The website would be designed for a completely tailored mobile experience, and is very much geared toward the high-end devices such as iPads, iPhones and newer BlackBerrys. Of course, you need to consider that this type of website will be costlier to implement and maintain, and time-consuming to test. • Mobile App – This option provides a highly targeted mobile experience that you can download from an online application store. A mobile app can function online and offline, and it speaks to the emerging “apps culture” among mobile users. However, it is a costly extension of your online budget, needs to be device-specific and, unlike a mobile website, visitors would need to download the app in order to use it. PREPARATION IS KEY As part of the process of taking your website mobile, you’ll need to involve all of the groups that will have a hand in the project, and conduct extensive research about your mobile users. Being prepared is the best way to ensure that your new, mobile website launches without a hitch. Peer to Peer the quarterly magazine of ILTA 17