Last I checked, Apple had sold like a hundred gazillion iPods and iPhones.
Okay, just counting iPhones alone, they’ve sold more like 33.75 million as of fourth quarter 2009. [source]
Remember, that’s not counting any iPod Touch sales.
Plus, millions more Crackberries, PDAs, web-enabled cell phones, and handheld Internet devices have been sold all across the world.
I don’t think I’d be exaggerating if I said that 70 million people worldwide can now surf the Internet on a handheld device. And even if it were “only” 34 million people, that’s a LOT of mobile web surfers!
Question: Have you ever wondered how many people are trying to read your blog using a handheld mobile device? And have you ever seen what your blog looks like on one?
I only recently got an iPhone in July 2009 — so I’m not casting stones here at all — and all of a sudden I realized why “the mobile web” is actually a really big deal.
One morning in particular brought this to the front of my mind. My friend was traveling and my brother had slept through his alarm clock, so all of a sudden I found myself at Panera alone… without a book. (The horror!)
But I did have my iPhone.
So I stopped in at a few of my favorite blogs.
Let me tell you: It was practically impossible to read some of them! The words wouldn’t resize, the borders wouldn’t flex, and I’d be stuck scrolling left to right and squinting to read the super-small font.
Not a pleasant experience.
Then I tried to read my blog. And it wasn’t much better!
The fact is, a blog that’s designed to be read on a computer cannot be easily read on a screen that’s perhaps one-tenth or even one-twentieth the size of a full computer screen.
That’s when I got curious about how to modify my blog for mobile readers.
Turns out, it’s way easier than I thought — if you have a Wordpress blog.
All you have to do in Wordpress is scroll down to “Plugins” from within the admin panel and click on “Add New.” Type “Wordpress Mobile Pack” into the search box. Click “Install” next to the plugin to install it.
From there, customize as you wish.
It’s a beautiful thing. Because immediately you will have a site that is easily viewed and read by any mobile web user.
Problem solved! (Not to mention you can now grab the eyeballs of a few million web surfers who are stuck in department stores while their wives try on clothes.)
-Ryan M. Healy




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Awesome!! I had never even considered the mobile devices. Not that my blog is super popular or anything, but I need to do this ASAP Thanks again for the info!!!
That's beautiful dude…going to go download it right now :)
Nice find!
Jeremy Reeves
http://www.ControlBeatingCopy.com
Point taken… you just added something to my todo list!
Where's that big red Staples button?
Excellent and timely article, Ryan!! I'll try out that plug-in today. Looks like the width of my articles works well with the iPhone screen, but there's always room for improvement!
Now…if only Apple and Adobe would become friends. Many sites have flash videos that will not play on the iPhone (I know that's old news, but it's still frustrating…durned Apple…).
Excellent and timely article, Ryan!! I'll try out that plug-in today. Looks like the width of my articles works well with the iPhone screen, but there's always room for improvement!
Now…if only Apple and Adobe would become friends. Many sites have flash videos that will not play on the iPhone (I know that's old news, but it's still frustrating…durned Apple…).
You know, I've been looking for it all these years… to no avail.
When I find it, you'll be the first to know. :-)
Well made point Ryan. The other thing to watch out for is flash which the iphone can't handle (yet).
Most blogs don't tend to use flash (but you'd be shocked how many corporate websites do when they don't need to. I got stuck trying to get to a meeting with a law firm because the phone number and details of the partner I needed was encoded in flash on their site).
But the area which is likely to hurt is video which is a growing trend. If you want iphone users to be able to play your video you must either do it as an embedded youtube video, or if you must keep your fancy player and hosting, provide a link to a youtube version.
Ian
Warning: 34 Million People Can’t Read Your Blog!: Last I checked, Apple had sold like a hundred gazillion iPods an… http://bit.ly/7H5SHP
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RT @healymonster Warning: 34 Million People Can’t Read Your Blog! http://bit.ly/5SiU2c
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Ryan Healy ( @healymonster ) Uncovers Why 34 million people might be avoiding your blog http://bit.ly/83b3JY
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34 million people can’t read your blog http://ow.ly/VIHo
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Nice…Ken McCharty recommended this blog and I already loves it (its rare that I can learn something new on the very first post. (shall install the plugin on all my blogs shortly)
Anyway, bookmarked (on delicious and few others) and posted a review on my blog here:
http://affiliateredemption.com/who-is-ryan-healy/
Hey Landon!
Really nice of you to bookmark and link to my blog. Thank you! I really appreciate it. :-)
Ryan
I was unaware that iPhones can't play Flash videos. Interesting. Thanks for sharing that, Ian.
Ryan
Well, since you're such a lazy guy, Fred, I figured I'd help you out.
I jest, of course. ;-)
Ryan
You are very welcome. Glad I could help.
Ryan
Yeah – it has a special player for youtube videos so it can (sometimes) do embedded youtube. Not by playing it on the web page, but by going to the special player when you touch-click the video.It can't do non youtube video at all.
May change in future .
Ian
RT @GinaParris Ryan Healy @healymonster Uncovers Why 34 million people might be avoiding your blog http://bit.ly/83b3JY
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RT @JillKoenig: RT @GinaParris Ryan Healy @healymonster Uncovers Why 34 million people might be avoiding your blog http://bit.ly/83b3JY
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
RT @JillKoenig: RT @GinaParris Ryan Healy @healymonster Uncovers Why 34 million people might be avoiding your blog http://bit.ly/83b3JY
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Warning: 34 Million People Can’t Read Your Blog! | Business Growth … http://bit.ly/7H5SHP
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Warning: 34 Million People Can’t Read Your Blog! http://ow.ly/VSJC
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RT @healymonster: Warning: 34 Million People Can’t Read Your Blog! http://ow.ly/VSJC
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
RT @healymonster: Warning: 34 Million People Can’t Read Your Blog! http://ow.ly/VSJC
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
RT @healymonster: Warning: 34 Million People Can’t Read Your Blog! http://ow.ly/VSJC
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Awesome advice and an easy WP fix! RT @healymonster Warning: 34 Million People Can’t Read Your Blog! http://ow.ly/VSJC
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
RT @healymonster: Warning: 34 Million People Can’t Read Your Blog! http://ow.ly/VSJC
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
RT @healymonster: Warning: 34 Million People Can’t Read Your Blog! http://ow.ly/VSJC
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RT @healymonster Warning: 34 Million People Can’t Read Your Blog! http://bit.ly/5SiU2c – good point from Ryan about phones and marketing
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Worked like a charm. Thanks for the pointer and the follow on Twitter.
That was easy. Wordpress Mobile Pack gets your blog ready for the mobile visitor. http://bit.ly/7ilTZC Thanks @healymonster
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RT @healymonster Warning: 34 Million People Can’t Read Your Blog! http://bit.ly/5SiU2c
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RT @healymonster Warning: 34 Million People Can’t Read Your #Blog! http://bit.ly/5SiU2c
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Ryan… Forced continuity is alive and well! Yet this example has an amazing twist…
It hijacks you AWAY from the free offer (that's $9.95 AFTER you've given your name and email) and the continuity program you were expecting then dumps you into a way more expensive program AFTER you provided you name and email. This isn't OTO is 'BOTH' Brunson's One Time Hijack!
DON'T enter you email here – > http://www.im-myth.com/ as I did!
Go straight through – > http://www.im-myth.com/welcome.html
Then click the button for your freebie! NOT!
This is both unethical AND is illegal in Australia where it's called bait and switch.
http://www.im-myth.com/ should be the poster example of the WORST kind of forced continuity out there today…
(No nothing above is an affiliate link)
Tell me it isn't so!!! Will the last ethical marketer please turn the lights out?
Ryan – I understand that the MOBI format can really hose your SEO – that in fact all of the SEO juice will accrue to the MOBI version of your site.
Any thoughts or suggestions?
Michael – I hadn't heard that yet, but I wouldn't be surprised.
When I see my own site in Google's search results, I notice that the mobile version is often indented underneath the main listing.
But I still don't know how it affects rankings overall.
Ryan
RE: @healymonster Michael – I hadn’t heard that yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised.
When I see my own site in Google’s … http://disq.us/9u9k2
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According to the study, the most important tool for small businesses to succeed in 2010 is search engine marketing, while email marketing, public relations and social media cited as crucial for success.
23.8% of all small businesses reported that search engine marketing was the tool most needed for their business to succeed in 2010.
http://www.onlineuniversalwork.com
According to the study, the most important tool for small businesses to succeed in 2010 is search engine marketing, while email marketing, public relations and social media cited as crucial for success.
23.8% of all small businesses reported that search engine marketing was the tool most needed for their business to succeed in 2010.
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