15 Free Tools to Mobilize Your Blog

Mobile web is growing at an extremely fast pace. According to the latest report by AdMob, data traffic created only by iPhone/iPod Touch has increased 19 times from September 2008.

Can mobile users read your blog? There are several reasons why this is important. Make a quick check and open a blog on your cellphone (probably smartphone). If it loads fast and shows nice – you don’t have to read this post. Otherwise, you might find tools listed below useful.

The tools are grouped into three categories: mobile friendly blogging platforms, plugins for self-hosted blogs and blog mobilizing services.

Mobile friendly blogging platforms

When collecting information for this article I discovered, that blogging platforms like Blogger or TypePad are one-way mobile friendly. They support writing posts from mobile phones, not reading them. There are tools to mail a post to a blog. There are special mobile apps for that. But when you’re done with writing, you will be surprised afterwards how hard is to read it. The exception is WordPress, proving one more time, that it’s the best blogging tool available.

If you plan to switch to another hosted blogging platform, think of WordPress, which makes your blog available both to you and your reader.

WordPress.com :. In October two mobile themes were launched: WPtouch (for phones with full featured mobile browsers) and the WordPress Mobile Edition (for all other cellphones). Both of them are based on the plugins available for self-hosted WordPress blogs. The themes will launch automatically when your blog is accessed with a compatible mobile phone. Just make sure a “Display a mobile theme…” box is checked in Appearance/Extras tab.

Plugins for self-hosted blogs

There are several plugins, designed to show your blog in a cellphone friendly theme after detecting a mobile browser. As I’m a WordPress user, the list below includes only WP plugins. Please share in comment section your favourite ones for other blog management software (Movable Type, Joomla).

WPtouch :. It’s the most popular WordPress plugin designed to mobilize a blog content. It shows a beautiful iPhone-style layout, although it also works very well on other touch mobile devices (Android, Palm Pre, BlackBerry). The admin panel includes: optimization options, templates, header style customization, list of icons, default menu options, Adsense and statistics. You can share a post on Twitter (through phone’s Twitter apps) and/or add it to Del.icio.us, Digg, Technorati, Newsvine, Reddit and Magnolia.

WordPress Mobile Edition :. A simplest possible no-options plugin, which opens your blog in a mobile friendly Carrington theme. It’s a solution for those, who don’t want to waste their time for another plugin configuration. Note: if you download a plugin from your dashboard, you have to make an extra download of a theme.

Wapple Architect Mobile Plugin :. The major advantage of this plugin is that every single mobile device is detected and all aspects of your blog are tailored to the visiting handset. The user satisfaction is maximized, whatever the phone is used to read your blog. Wapple Architect is the most advanced WP plugin. Features: custom mobile header and footer; full customization of elements – separate for home page, pages, posts, archives and search; advanced pagination and many more. Note: you need to register to get Wapple Architect Dev Key in order to activate the plugin.

WordPress Mobile Pack :. Plugin dashboard pages are listed under Appearance tab. In a Mobile Switcher you can choose one of the four included mobile themes (+any other mobile friendly theme, if downloaded). In the option page you can set up a number of posts and widgets; remove media; shrink images and simplify styling, among others. You can also choose sidebar widgets to be seen in a mobile view.

IamMobiled Mobile :. A simple plugin with a nice looking theme supported (Blue Heart), but you can choose any other mobile themes. Apart from choosing a theme, you can set up the order of pages. AdMob support.

MobilePress :. This plugin allows to choose specific themes for specific devices. Options are limited to blog title and description.

Mofuse WordPress Plugin :. A plugin, which automatically detects mobile browser and redirects a visitor to a blog version, created with Mofuse blog mobilizer (described later).

Mobilize by Mippin :. A redirection plugin to a mobilized blog, created with Mippin (describer later). Note: it’s compatible up to WP 2.3.3.

WordPress Mobile by Mobify :. A redirection plugin working with Mobify blog mobilizer (described later).

Blog mobilizers

The mobilizing plugins use the blog’s elements. They are great, if you don’t play too much with CSS, don’t embed too many codes, don’t have too many plugins. The richer the blog is, the bigger the chance for a plugin to fail. In such a case it’s good to consider blog mobilizing services, which use your blog’s feeds and the rest of original formatting doesn’t count. Another reason to use them is if you don’t need/want to mobilize a whole blog, but f.e. just one category.

The services usually work the same way – you enter a valid RSS link and then you’ll be guided through a setup process. To connect to the mobile version you can use widgets or redirection plugins on your main blog.

Google Mobilizer :. This one is a simplest possible option – you just enter a URL… and done. No registration, no formatting, no features to choose from. It works fine as an instant mobilizer, f.e. if you want to tweet a post addressed specifically to mobile readers.

Mofuse :. Creating a moblog is fast and convenient. A list of features include: color customization; editable homepage; custom header; mobile and iPhone modes; ability to share a post via e-mail, Twitter, Delicious and Digg; lists with related blogs under every post; full analytics; ad support (Google + AdMob); tools to promote a blog: badges and widgets; QR code; a wonderful phone emulator, showing how the blog looks on a cellphone. Url: yourblog.mofuse.mobi

Mippin :. When it comes to the ease of use, the service is similar to Mofuse. You can share posts to Twitter and e-mail, as well as ad support. What it makes special is recommending the site to other users of Mippin moblogoshere. The detailed reports are also a great advantage. You can check page and ad views, favourites and votes. The only disadvantage is too deep simplification of the feed – links as well as formatting are lost. Url: mippin.com/yourblog

Wirenode :. Although it’s not as easy, it’s a powerful tool, you can use to practically create a mobile site. You can configure the site using Mobile Widgets. The easiest way is to pick RSS widget and enter blog’s (or blog category’s) feed. The choice of widgets is large and counting: Google Maps, Twitter updates, forms&polls, message board, message of the day, AdMob, image gallery, wallpaper. You can choose from 8 design templates. Plus you have stats, QR code and badges for your main blog. Url: yourblog.wirenode.mobi

Mobify :. You need to be html/css literate to pick up this option. The only way to start a mobile site is to design it from the elements of your main blog. Instant cellphone emulation helps, but it will take longer time to achieve the same result as with any of the services mentioned above. It seems to be a perfect tool for web developers and designers – mobile sites created with Mobify look really fantastic. Url: yourblog.mobify.me

Surely, this list isn’t complete, but I hope I’ve managed to include major players. I would appreciate if you could share below your picks and tips.