I strongly encourage hotels to move towards establishing a mobile presence without delay. As with every new adventure in technology, there is a right way and a wrong way of doing things. Here are some points for hotels to consider when taking the mobile leap.

Avoid “Walled Gardens”

Hotels must stay away from “one size fits all” templated solutions. These solutions offered by third party sites are a short-term gimmick to get hotels to sign up and start paying monthly fees to “rent” their mobile websites. Why is this a bad idea?

For those of you old enough to remember the 1999-2000 era, templated websites were all the rage. It was simple: with a few clicks, you got a website and you paid monthly rent. What a scam that was! You didn’t own anything, and you didn’t build any rankings on search engines.

Fast forward to 2010, when everybody owns their website and domain, and nobody in their right mind should ever give up control of their website to someone else. Mobile website template sellers are selling the exact same thing their counterparts did in the past…it’s still a terrible idea! Always insist on developing a fully customized mobile website that you own and control – it’s worth the investment.

Simplicity Rules

Due to the ubiquity of generic hotel internet marketing agencies, hotel websites have largely become a menagerie of heavy flash and high-resolution graphics resulting from the mass produced templates these marketing agencies have forced upon their clients. There is also the super artsy GM, owner and occasional Director or Sales who wants to capture the “spirit” and “experience” of a hotel stay on the hotel’s website.

For successful mobile website design, hotels need to check their design divas at the door. Mobile screens are too small to capture your magnum opus, and speed will always be an issue. Think Google.com home page, not Yahoo.com, and you will be successful…unless you want your hotel to be the Yahoo of the mobile world.

Phone Number Is a Must

If you do not have a prominent phone number listed on your mobile website, you have failed. This is like buying a shiny new car without a steering wheel. It simply has to STOP. Always provide your mobile website visitor with a  “click to call” option. Often, mobile users are on the road looking for quick contact information; never frustrate your guests by withholding it.

Color It Simple

Not leaving white space on your mobile website is extremely frustrating to users. The small screen size makes the lack of white space a factor in turning off visitors. Navigation needs to be in clear and easy-to-see colors. Funky color schemes that look great on a laptop browser can just be confusing on a mobile phone screen. Good contrast is key in making your mobile content appetizing for consumption on a mobile device.

Targeted Content

The mobile website visitor is looking for content that can be consumed efficiently and without having to click too deeply into your website. Effective mobile websites prioritize the content mobile users need to find quickly, eg, Contact and Location, Rooms, Rates. They don’t try to tell epic stories – save the long version for your non-mobile site. Keep it to the point, and your mobile website will do great.

Videos & Images

As a rule of thumb, omit these items. Mobile broadband speeds in the US really do not permit anything fancy to play. Your prime focus should be on giving the visitor the immediate information they need.

Simple Navigation

Simple navigation is a must on a hotel mobile website. Clicking is hard on a mobile device, and burying information under multiple layers is bound to frustrate your visitors.

Mobile Friendly Booking Engine

Hotel booking engine technology is constantly playing catch-up to the real world. Mobile websites that do not let your guests book a room will deprive your hotel of direct mobile revenue. There are some creative ways to bypass this issue if you are stuck with a dinosaur hotel booking engine. A “Call Now to Book” or a simple “Request a Room” form can deliver mobile-direct revenue for your hotel.

Mobile web is rapidly converting your guests into avid surfers on their mobile devices. It’s time for you to get serious and invest in the right mobile website for your hotel. Follow the basics I have listed, and you’ll be off to a good start!