The company decided to roll out the optimized site after seeing that mobile accounts for 30-40 percent of overall Web traffic. The mobile site was developed by Usablenet.

“Everything Hard Rock does from an online perspective is geared towards driving traffic to digital and physical Hard Rock properties,” said Carin van Vuuren, chief marketing officer at Usablenet, New York.

“The mobile site we created for Hard Rock is focused on boosting engagement, and providing a ‘sticky’ experience that keeps the Hard Rock customer engaged throughout the mobile journey,” she said. “Location-based targeting is an essential way to keep consumers engaged, and Hard Rock achieves this by offering a GPS locator that enables users to identify nearby cafes and hotels.

“In addition, the mobile solution is designed to complement Hard Rock’s social media presence in order to increase loyalty to the overall brand experience.”

Mobile presence
The new Hard Rock mobile site is part of the company’s continuous efforts to make the medium a  major component of its overall business strategy.

Consumers can access the mobile site by entering htttp://www.hardrock.com on their mobile browser.

The mobile site is designed to drive customers to Hard Rock’s digital and physical properties, enhancing its ability to drive the overall business.

The mobile site includes a GPS locator that enables users to identify nearby Hard Rock Cafes and Hotels, along with an option to browse venues by experience or proximity.

Additionally, the mobile site offers consumers the option to make priority-seating reservations, peruse cafe menus, or book a hotel or casino stay.

Moreover, users are also able to explore Hard Rock’s extensive memorabilia library from the mobile site, with tap-to-zoom capabilities to view high-resolution images.

“Hard Rock continues to emphasize its mobile channel as a major component of its overall business strategy, which is largely focused on digital innovation,” Ms. van Vuuren said.

“Mobile allows Hard Rock to offer a brand-rich, engaging experience to users throughout the customer journey,” she said.

“And with its new mobile solution, users have access to features like a sleek interface, quick loading navigation and visually-rich graphics that strengthen loyalty to the overall Hard Rock brand experience.”

Evolution of mobile
Having a mobile presence is essential, especially for a company such as Hard Rock.

The optimized site gives users a variety of options, such as the ability to sign-up for the company’s rewards program, shop for products and view café menus.

The Hard Rock mobile site also incorporates social elements such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+, Tumblr, Pinterest and Instagram to further build a relationship between the brand and its customers.

“This year we are already seeing a huge shift among brands towards next-generation mobile sites,” Ms. van Vuuren said. “Customers want a mobile site that is tailored to their specific interests and needs, and brands must create relevant mobile experiences that deliver context.

“We’re going to see brands start incorporating in-store mobile payments, mobile-only discounts and promotions, and other next-gen mobile capabilities that will continue making it easier for consumers to browse, shop, explore, and make purchases,” she said.

“Furthermore, tablets will continue their rapid rate of adoption and as a result, we’ll see the increasing need for brands to create experiences that are contextually relevant and specific to the tablet channel, much like we saw with the smartphone.”

Final Take
Rimma Kats is associate editor on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York