By Jose Villa

According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau's 2008 report, accessing the Web and downloading are the No. 2 and No. 3 activities, respectively, performed on mobile phones -- only behind text messaging.

The same report states that the longer people have mobile phones, the more likely they are to use them for both voice and data services.

So, what is the path to reach these data users -- mobile application or mobile Web site?

Create an application
When the iPhone 3G hit the marketplace, there was a rush of media coverage not only of the new phone, but also the applications available to users.

Thousands of potential downloads flooded Apple's online store, offering iPhone owners free and paid entertainment options.

While the media's attention has died down, iPhone users regularly check the applications store for the newest submissions to buy.

An application, however, must have value for people to buy or download it. This requires lots of innovation.

Some companies make the mistake of making the application fun but losing the marketing value.

Advertisers must find the balance between creating something cool and interesting, but still getting their point/brand/messaging across. And if you can find this balance, then a mobile application may be perfect for you.

Also, when creating an application, make sure it is polished.

There is no point to putting a sloppy product up for people to download. This in fact can create a negative opinion of your company or your client.

Be sure the application runs smoothly and does not require so much bandwidth that the program crashes or, at worst, crashes the phone.

While it is easy to go overboard with tons of bells and whistles, sometimes a simple application is the best one.

Create a mobile-friendly Web site
While iPhones are the "it" phone, not all phones have application download capabilities. Thus, if you rely solely on an application to promote your product or brand, you are going to miss on a number of potential customers.

However, a large portion of phones now come with some sort of Internet accessibility.

Advertisers should optimize a site for mobile usage for your target audience's quick and convenient access to your brand. This can easily be done by taking pieces of your current Web site and building a new mobile-friendly site.

To do this:

? Create a mobile site domain for your mobile Web site
? Strip down your current site to eliminate or trim photos that are unnecessary
? Make contact information easy to find. This is especially important for advertisers looking to reach a local audience (i.e., a restaurant needs its phone number and address on the main page so viewers don't have to go searching for it

Final option: Do both
If you believe mobile is a strong medium for your marketing efforts, consider investing in an application and a mobile-friendly Web site. That way you will hit both audiences and really push your brand within the mobile platform.

Jose Villa is CEO of Sensis, an interactive agency in Los Angeles. Reach him at .