Why not block your lawyers from your desktop publications?
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Beginning this week staffers of The New York Times will only be able to view www.nytimes.com via a smartphone or a tablet. No desktop monitors.
As The Next Web’s Nate Swanner (@nateswanner) reports, the aim of the experiment is to make all sure staff understand how crucial mobile is to the future of The Times. Over half of The Times’ traffic comes via mobile.
The New York Times isn’t encouraging staff to think about mobile, they’re forcing them to consume content via smartphones — and it’s brilliant.
Here’s the announcement.
Time and again lawyers look to create a piece of art in the design of their blog. They’re then apt to add features having little or no value because they see “space” to do so on their desktops.
Many marketing professionals accustomed to the design and the develop of websites do the same thing.
Take away the desktop, make lawyers and legal marketing professionals look at the law firm’s publications on a smart phone or tablet.
It’s how your most important readers — reporters, leading bloggers, association leaders, clients and prospective clients — are viewing your publications. Even more so during prime time commutes.
To the extent your fancy design and features don’t work well on mobile publications, forget them. You’ll be adding by subtracting.
Not only will you get law firm personnel using mobile for consuming your publications, but their input as to modifications of design and formatting will be meaningful. Otherwise their input is virtually worthless.
As Swanner says, “Smartphones aren’t a fad, they’re the most ubiquitous delivery device on the planet.” The trend to mobile will never reverse.