On Winning the Webby for Best Mobile Site

Did you read the news this week? The results are in and we won! Ask Mobile grabbed not only the Webby Award for best mobile site, but the People's Voice award in the Mobile category too! It feels pretty good to be recognized by our peers and by the folks who use Ask Mobile as well.

I only recently took over the helm of the bullet train that is Ask Mobile, so I can't take ALL the credit for our big win.

Here begins the thank you speech:

Mad props to Andy Yang, the original Ask Mobile Product Manager, who took this from a glimmer in his eye to the site we love today. Of course, he couldn't have done it without the help of the company that constructed it with us, WaveMarket.

And all due credit to Michael Ferguson, our Senior User Experience Analyst. He made the recommendation that Ask.com Mobile--a product from a search engine company--shouldn't have a search box on the front page! The concept felt like it went against everything we knew to be right. Until we really thought about it:

The key to a great mobile experience is getting the information you need with the FEWEST possible keystrokes. So that's what we built. Once you're at Ask Mobile, press "2" on your phone and you are instantly to place that you can get driving (and walking!) directions. Hit "6" and you're taken right to our weather service. For those of you on the road, hit "9" for next page and then two for currency conversion, or "4" for international time zone information. Still need web search? No problem, hit "0" for home and "1" for the trusty search box.

Okay, lightning round: a big thanks to Yitao Guan from Site Engineering, Charlise Tiee and Steve Orr from our Knowledge Engineering, and the rest of the team. And of course, YOU, our search audience. Especially the folks who voted for us!

There. As acceptance speeches go that wasn't so bad, was it? No one did a one-armed push-up or anything.

We knew we had something and it looks like the Webby judges and the voting public agree. Thank you all very much.

--Brendan Hallett
Product Manager, Mobile
Ask.com