The future of digital content will likely follow the path of mobile devices, but few enterprises are incorporating mobile strategies into content management. Most companies are in the exploratory stage of mobile development--they recognize the changing landscape, but know they don't have the answer or investment to pilot mobile technology.

"If anything mobile is under hyped, not over hyped," said Marie Williams, senior director of Web Innovation and Global Online Services at Hilton Worldwide, during a Nov. 30 panel discussion at content management conference Gilbane 2010, in Boston.

Williams said the hardest part of starting their mobile effort has been picking and choosing: What web properties will be converted into a mobile app; which devices and platforms will be supported; and what should be excluded so the interface doesn't become cluttered?

But Williams is still further ahead than most. Keith Cook, Global eBusiness office at ACE  Group, said even in mature mobile markets, such as financial services, it's difficult to pin down ROI. Despite the fact that mobile will continue to grow, companies have to be prudent about how the benefits will be measured against the investment in mobile technology, said Cook.

To be honest, today's analytics may not be able to justify a mobile investment in the short term. Rather, it should be viewed as preparation for the future norm, said Paul Michelman, director of Product Development at Harvard Business Review Group. His company now offers enhanced versions of Harvard Business Review magazine and HBR books for the iPad. The move to mobile was driven by a need to be available, relevant and useful on new devices. As sexy as that sounds, it doesn't mean companies should put all their eggs in one basket just yet. As a case in point: HBR advertisements for the iPad can only be bundled into the sale of ad space in the company's more traditional mediums.

A cautious, initial step for companies anticipating a mobile transition is to convert content to XML. Jason Sawtelle, director of Premedia Sales at Quad/Graphics describes this as "future-proofing your content."

"Having content in XML puts you in a position to get there very quickly once you're ready to try [mobile]," said Sawtelle.

Planning a content strategy now will help companies meet customer expectations for a rich, interactive experience on smartphones and tablets, down the road.

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