For part two of my UnTech10 reflections, I want to focus on Jeff De Cagna and Chris Bonney’s “Mobile Matters.” I think the information provided can be extremely valuable to small-staff association professionals.

As someone who’s attached to her BlackBerry and MacBook, I’ve come to accept that mobile is just a way of life. And I love when a Web site translates easily to my mobile device, and that’s what associations should be focusing on.

By 2016, smartphones will comprise 66 percent of the market share. Traditional flip phones are on their way out as people are communicating nonstop and sharing information they collect on their phones (photos, etc…).

Mobile is inherently social. So are associations. So it only makes sense that associations should start thinking about what their Web sites look like on a mobile device, be it BlackBerry, iPhone or Android. These platforms can help associations nurture social relationships.

I remember when Facebook first introduced the status update. It was around 2006, and I was pretty horrified. “Facebook stalking just reached a whole new level,” my friends and I thought. “Why would anyone care what I’m doing at all times?”

Of course, the beauty in the status update is that we can share photos, links, videos and more. Sure, some people abuse it and update eleventy million times a day. But many people use it for exactly its purpose — sharing information they find interesting, funny and/or relevant.

If members are accessing your organization’s Web site on their smartphone, it’s important to consider how it appears. Should you create an app? Perhaps. The three main platforms are the iPhone, BlackBerry and Android.

If you choose not to create an app, be aware of how your actual site translates to a smaller screen. Not every aspect of your Web site needs to be available on the mobile platform. Create a user-friendly mobile version with larger text, fewer photos and only the most important parts.

Consider this: 25 percent of Facebook users access the site on a mobile device – whether it’s a mobile Web site or the Facebook application. That statistic will only grow as Facebook itself continues to grow. (The site recently announced it hit 400 million active users.)

This has moved past a trend for Gen-Y and Gen-X. Mobile devices are the future of communication.

How will your association get more people involved in mobile activities?

Image credit: Flickr