Other companies, including technology giant Hewlett-Packard Co., are discussing ways to build their first Web sites specifically for wireless users. "We definitely have work to do to get our Web site mobile friendly," said Lois Townsend, H-P's director of community. "We know our customers want it."
H-P has a financial incentive to expand its community strategy. The forums, which often address problems before a customer has to call the service line, have saved millions of dollars in deflected calls, Ms. Townsend said.
The move to mobile isn't without challenges. Companies have to decide whether to create a barebones site accessible by even the most basic handset, or opt for a flashier application accessible by select smart phones. Different phones, screen sizes and platforms create headaches for site designers.
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The cellphone affords the opportunity to be more interactive with customers. That's where companies such as Lithium Technologies Inc. come in. The Emeryville, Calif., company's software runs the social components of many traditional Web sites, including those of H-P, AT&T Inc., and Best Buy Co.
Lithium wants to take those forums, blogs and other social-networking elements to cellphones with a service it plans to roll out next year. Beyond its own social-networking tools, the platform will draw in related feeds from services such as Facebook and Twitter.
"A lot of these companies don't have a mobile site, and right away, they'll have a lot of content," said Philip Soffer, Lithium's vice president of product marketing. "Because the community is active and based on addictive behavior, it's the kind of thing that works well on mobile phones."
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