Entering the mobile space requires a well thought-out strategy and many times marketers dive into the medium without fully thinking about their goals.

Mobile is a great way for marketers to reach consumers no matter where they are. Although many companies are now looking to jump on the mobile bandwagon, they are not realizing that mobile is not a one-size-fits-all approach.

?We have seen, time and again, companies that copy their desktop content and tactics and force them into a mobile-friendly format,? said Katerina Potter, search marketing specialist at iProspect.

?That?s a great way to acquire a set of problems that take more time fixing than it would have taken to strategize before launching their mobile presence,? she said.

?Marketers should absolutely be clear on the specific goals for their mobile presence. They should focus not only on who their consumers are, but also when they use their mobile devices and for what purpose.?

Different strokes
Consumers behave different when they are using their mobile devices versus desktops.

Mobile lets users access content from wherever they are whereas desktop usage is more remote.

?There is also evidence that some of the mobile behavior is not that different than desktop,? Ms. Potter said. ?It is the marketer?s job to find out what fits for their brand.?

According to the executive, marketers should include specific strategies for different devices as behaviors can vary widely.

For example, tablets are a browsing device and are great at generating conversions.

Smartphones, however, tend to satisfy an immediate need, such as finding directions.

Marketers should be sure to understand what devices their consumers are reaching them from and what type of content they are consuming on those devices to make sure they are delivering the most relevant experience at all times.

?Marketers need to be clear about what their goals are for mobile and how it should fit into the integrated strategy,? Ms. Potter said. ?From there, look at your competition and where they are in terms of mobile strategy.

?We have seen that already there are areas where the mobile market is saturated with apps, mobile sites, and the cost of clicks is as high as in desktop, yet, there are areas where no one has offered a great mobile experience yet,? she said.

?Looking for the hidden gems could be the key to your mobile success. Taking a peek at what the competition is doing can help you get direction on the most valuable executions.?

Marketers should also figure out what mobile channels they want to pursue.

There are so many mobile marketing options and products and each one works well for different set of goals.

Finding the right fit is key.

?Build a mobile experience that is worth seeing, using and sharing,? Ms. Potter said. ?People are used to seamless browsing on their laptops and desktops and they expect the same from their phones regardless of whether the technology has caught up or not.

?Get feedback often and improve your mobile presence as you go,? she said. ?And, lastly, continuously evaluate your traffic sources to identify device affinities and what type of content is consumed where, so you can prioritize for a mobile experience.?

Think mobile
According to Simon Buckingham, CEO of Appitalism, New York, a mobile strategy is similar to Alice in Wonderland.

"If you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there," Mr. Buckingham said. "So, yes, we advocate that marketers analyze their goals and target consumers just like they would and should for any project they are undertaking, where mobile related or not.

"Latency kills on mobile devices - in other words, optimize the graphics and design of the mobile service to ensure that the mobile page loads as quickly as possible," he said. "Create something unique for mobile by trying to utilize the mobile device specific capabilities that are available such as the person'a location information and device characteristics.

"Don't just put a Web experience on mobile, try to make it mobile relevant and specific by taking advantage of the advanced information available to you."

It is important that marketers give consumers a way to easily switch between different versions and views of their information.

For example, it can be annoying and frustrating when a mobile site is the default option for a tablet such an iPad with no ability to switch to the full Web site view, per Mr. Buckingham.

Marketers should have a default view, but also allow consumers to get to your full Web site at the click of a button so that they can choose their preference.

"Remember that mobile is different - Adobe Flash doesn't work well or at all on most mobile devices," Mr. Buckingham said. "Web analytics often don't track mobile visitors fully.

"For example, you should work with an approved BlackBerry analytics vendor if those devices are popular with your customers, since regular web analytics won't count BlackBerry visitors which will skew your data," he said.

"Mobile is still new and changing rapidly so be prepared to continuously evolve your mobile presence with the medium. Don't just build a mobile version and leave it - it will need constant maintenance and tweaking to be truly successful and take full advantage of this unique medium."

Mobile goals
Marketers who are ready to jump into the mobile space should think carefully about their customers and what they are doing on mobile.

?And, before designing your creative and understand if you can get the data, conversion or social interactions you want from your chosen campaign strategy,? said Tom Limongello, vice president of marketing at Crisp Media, New York.

?Really good advertising can be a one-size fits all approach,? he said. ?If you make a great ad it can definitely work on mobile, but just because your TV spot was great doesn't mean that just playing the 30 second spot on mobile is going to work.

?You need to adjust the creative to the channel, and clever tactics for doing that exist, for example using partial animations or HTML5 canvas elements to make videos come alive in less time than on desktop or TV. Targeting consumers is a tough business, better just make great creative and let the consumers do the sharing for you.?

According to Wilson Kerr, vice president of sales and business development at UnBound Commerce, Boston, marketers should recognize that any messaging accessed by a mobile device is mobile marketing.

With U.S. smartphone penetration already more than 50 percent, smart marketers will adopt a mobile-first perspective for every campaign.

?We have passed the tipping point and mobile is no longer a nice to have,? Mr. Kerr said. "Mobile can deliver specific calls to action to specific consumers, based on location, time, and, most importantly, a demonstrated interest in the products or services being offered.

?Marketers that do not put mobile first and foremost do so at their peril,? he said. ?Mobile is all about experiences and personal interactions with brands.?

Final Take
Rimma Kats is associate editor on Mobile Marketer, New York