Does your business need a mobile application or is your web site already mobile phone-friendly?

Thinking through the answer to that question is an important one as it could cost or save you tens of thousands of dollars.

Talk Business contributor Emily Reeves, director of account management and research at Stone Ward, was our guest on this week's program to discuss the subject.

Reeves' research notes that 73 million mobile phone users accessed their browsers in April 2010, up 31% from one year ago. 

"It is safe to assume that the first experience a consumer has with a website may very well be on a mobile device rather than a desktop computer," she says.

Which begs the question: how does your company or business website fare on a mobile device versus a computer?

The interface for a consumer can be very different between the two devices. With a smaller screen size and more limited bandwidth, Reeves says there are several factors to consider when optimizing a website for mobile consumption, such as appearance, content organization, content functionality and mobile enablement of content.

There's a lot to think about in this realm and with the proliferation of mobile devices, such as smart phones and iPads, consumers will rely more and more on hand-held Internet access in the future.

You can watch a video of our interview on the subject below or check out more of Emily Reeves' advice and musings on social media, advertising, and technology at her web site, Ms. Adverthinker.