Last week, Google launched an interactive, rich-media document called The Mobile Playbook – The Busy Executive’s Guide to Winning with Mobile.   Practicing a bit of what they preach, Google recommend reading the document on your tablet, but it’s accessible online, or via a PDF.

The document is designed to bring the Mobile-ly Challenged up to speed on how an organisation can play to win in Mobile.  It’s a clear & concise document that lays out the back story and action points in a compelling way.  It’s also a great toolset if you need to educate your management team or build a mobile business case.  On the other hand, some might argue that it’s too little too late.

The Mobile Playbook asks if your team has a sufficient sense of urgency around the topic of mobile.  They recommend the appointment of a mobile champion within your organisation, someone who could gather a cross-functional mobile task force to determine your company’s approach.  An eminently sensible suggestion, and one we would definitely support here in the Australian market.  Some of the activities that Google suggest the mobile champion might undertake are benchmarking your competition, understanding how your customers use mobile, setting aside budget, talking to agency partners & brainstorming.

Written by Jason Spero (Google’s head of Mobile Sales & Strategy), the Mobile Playbook is a useful tool for  mobile evangelists, whom can use it to help get Mobile on the radar in their organisation.

Here is a list of questions, taken verbatim from the Mobile Playbook, listing some questions that could help a Mobile Champion review their organisation’s mobile programs, platforms & capabilities.

1. Is mobile a key metric in your management dashboard?
2. How often do you review your mobile stats & who reviews them?
3. Who knows what percentage of web traffic & search queries come from mobile?
4. Who’s watching tablet traffic trends, people’s actions on your mobile site, mobile’s inclusion in product launches & campaigns?
5. Which decisions would change if key business owners were given timely mobile data?
6. Who’s monitoring your competition’s investment in mobile?
7. Who’s developing consumer insights through focus groups & surveys?
8. Which agencies are you relying on to help you make mobile decisions

It’s a good list. I’d recommend trying to answer all of those questions today!

According to Google, mobile changes everything.  They say the question is no longer WHY should I invest in mobile, but HOW do I do it?

Spero identifies some of the reasons that mobile is so important, and how it is changing everything. He says one of the key influencers is price transparency in local search.  Customers can go to a store, then use their mobile to identify cheaper or better products available on line. This is impacting on retail sales, and it’s happening to Australian retailers already, right on their own showroom floors.

The Mobile Playbook reads like a Who’s Who of Global Brands, and includes plenty of case studies for branded mobile apps and engaging mobile marketing activity.  Throughout the document, Spero covers the (very) basics of mobile marketing, search – naturally, and building & promoting apps.  The focus is on mobile web presence though, driving traffic and optimising your site for mobile.

Finally, as we hear regularly from Google now, the call to action is Build for Mobile First.

We couldn’t agree more!

 

Tags: Google, Mobile development, Strategy

---