As consumer adoption of smartphones continues its meteoric rise, organizations are now confronted with the challenge of developing a comprehensive mobile strategy that reaches a new generation of global consumers who are increasingly using the mobile Web as a primary gateway to the Internet. In August 2011, for example, five global markets (Singapore, UK, U.S., Japan, Australia) had more than 5 percent of Internet traffic coming from non-computer devices, with Singapore leading the way at 7.2 percent, according to the recent Comscore Digital Omnivores report.

To capitalize on this global opportunity, businesses must overcome various international differences to effectively scale their mobile presence and reach a large, global audience. These include differences in devices and networks, the need to support different languages, and methods of payments for mobile commerce, as well as the infrastructure required to support a global mobile presence.

This article will explore how organizations can successfully scale their mobile websites for a global audience as well as the factors they need to consider when doing so.

International Differences in Devices and Network Infrastructure

First and foremost, it is important for businesses to recognize the international differences in both mobile devices and wireless networks. There are a lot of inexpensive, basic devices in use by consumers in emerging markets, with less power, options and lower browser capabilities than smartphones like the iPhone — with many devices based on Android, Windows and Nokia Symbian operating systems. When conducting market testing, it’s imperative to identify these different devices and make sure you are optimizing your mobile site to fit them.

Another important factor to consider when developing a global mobile strategy is that wireless network infrastructures vary depending on country, causing mobile sites to interact differently based on the network and location. For instance, wireless networks in the U.S. are run predominately on CDMA technology, whereas GSM enjoys a nearly 82 percent market share globally. In Japan, for example, the predominant wireless network is NTT’s DoCoMo, an entirely different network than what is found in the U.S. and other countries, with unique format.

Global hotel chain Hyatt is a great example of a company that has scaled its international mobile presence along with its business. The Asian market is extremely important for Hyatt, and it recently demonstrated the primary role the mobile Web plays among consumers in those markets by extending Chinese and Japanese language mobile sites that support DoCoMo’s iMode mobile Internet service and other top networks in Asia.

Language Support

When developing a global-friendly mobile strategy, it is imperative that the phone’s GPS immediately recognizes a visitor’s physical location, and in turn, displays the corresponding language. With smartphone usage at an all-time high, it is crucial that organizations make their mobile sites available in multiple languages to reach their global consumer base. Without support for multiple languages in the top international markets, businesses are limiting the number of potential customers that can access crucial information about their products and services, potentially alienating those speaking languages that are not supported and leading to lost revenue.

Shipping giant FedEx is a great example of a company that has executed multiple language support on its mobile site to allow its global customer base to handle all their shipping needs, no matter where they are in the world. In fact, FedEx’s mobile optimized site currently supports 205 countries and 22 languages worldwide, a number that signifies the importance FedEx places on having a first-rate international mobile presence.

Payment Options

We’ve seen a huge shift in consumer behavior as more and more global shoppers are researching products and purchasing items on their smartphones. For example, four out of five U.S. smartphone owners use their devices to help with shopping, according to a 2011 Google/Ipsos study. And recent data published in October highlights the growth of the mobile commerce sector in the UK. During Q2 2011, visits to e-commerce sites from mobile devices accounted for 7 percent of overall traffic, up from an average of 1.4 percent in 2010.

With this global consumer shift comes the need to provide a seamless mobile shopping experience that is able to process transactions from international shoppers that use different currencies. One very important way to do this is by offering payment options that accept multiple currency types, especially for customers located in a country where the currency differs from common standards such as the EUR or USD.

PayPal is a great example of a company that offers its users multiple currency types, allowing global customers to send money in their native currency. PayPal’s mobile-optimized site allows users to send money in 190 countries and supports 24 different currency types, reflecting the experience users are accustomed to on the traditional PayPal site.

Mobile Is the Future

As more and more consumers around the world continue to use their smartphones for essential tasks on a daily basis, it is crucial for organizations to scale their mobile presence to support a plugged-in, global audience. Doing so will allow organizations to set themselves apart from their competitors and continue to scale their global user base. With differences in devices, network infrastructure, payment options and more, it is essential for organizations to ensure their mobile sites are equipped to perform to their optimal capabilities regardless of country or region.