Though this may have been possible for the first generation of mobile efforts, times have changed.

When retailers first started to discover that mobile commerce was going to be vital to their survival, many of them responded by using their standard websites and optimizing the same content and layout so that it would be compatible with the smaller screens and navigation requirements of mobile devices.

This was a strategy that was somewhat effective for a while, but the channel has evolved since then.

The world of mcommerce is traveling at a breakneck speed, and it is continually in flux. The more brands, companies, and marketers discover about what consumers are expecting from this channel and what is effective, the faster it grows. Now, the websites that were originally optimized so that their standard formats would fit on smaller screens are being found to be inadequate within the sector.

Simply repurposing regular sites for mcommerce just isn’t enough for the mobile consumer.

An mcommerce website should not simply be a cookie cutter copy of the site designed for e-commerce. Before the mobile version is released, it is vital for companies to determine what features are truly central for driving engagement, and to make those elements the heart of the smartphone and tablet experience. For example, store locators – which are often considered to be rather secondary on standard sites – are among the most important features of a mobile commerce enabled website, and should be placed front and center in many instances.

A site meant for a smartphone needs to be stripped down to its bare minimum while still providing a rich and engaging experience. Functionality, compatibility, load time, ease of navigation, and driving consumers to act are all critical to mobile. Unlike the PC experience, it is isn’t simply a matter of placing information in front of the consumer. It needs to appeal to the individual on the go, with quick and simple mcommerce options that will be highly relevant and appeal on a personal level. Companies must never lose sight of this perspective if they wish to get the most out of what the channel has to offer.

Even if you aren’t in the fast food industry, there is still a great deal that can be learned from its largest brands in terms of mobile marketing, as these companies have been some of the first to embrace this channel.

Both the advances and mistakes made by these brands offer important lessons.

Many of the largest companies in fast food have now introduced mobile marketing websites and mcommerce apps to help them to encourage customers to buy more, and shop more often. Examining their past strategies can be very helpful in assisting you with the creation of your company’s strategy or campaigns in the upcoming months.

Mobile marketing will be especially important throughout this holiday shopping season. With Thanksgiving right ahead, it is important to eliminate all of the quirks in your campaigns.

The official start to the holiday shopping season to begin at the end of this week, if you are hoping to use mobile commerce to help in your successes this year, then the time is now to avoid some of the most common mistakes.

Your presence for smartphone and tablet shoppers must be established to take part in this huge marketplace.

Last year, according to comScore, consumers spent 15 percent more on holiday shopping than they did the year before, bringing it to $37 billion. According to figures from the U.S. Census department, almost 51 percent of the American population widely used mobile commerce and the internet over their smartphones and tablets in 2011. It is expected that mobile commerce use and holiday shopping will come together significantly this year.

Therefore, it will be very important for you to have your mobile commerce campaign in order in time for the holiday shopping season to take off. That said, it isn’t just a matter a presence, anymore, but you need to get it right and avoid common mistakes, as well. Small errors have a way of rapidly snowballing so that they cause notable harm to potential sales. It is important to eliminate them as quickly as possible and not simply wait until Christmas Eve.

The following are some of the top mobile commerce mistakes that can be the most destructive to your campaign.

• Failing to draw attention to holiday discounts, deals, sales, and promotions. Almost every holiday shopper, particularly those using mobile commerce, are seeking for the best prices and savings opportunities on the gifts they are buying. If they don’t realize that you have something special to offer, it won’t take them long to move on to the competition.

• Failing to provide stock status and shipping information – the closer the date comes to December 25, the more vital this becomes. As things become more last minute, shoppers start to concentrate less on price and more on making sure that the gift will arrive on time.

• POS error messages – if a smartphone or tablet user is using a mobile commerce checkout, and he or she submits the wrong information or accidentally leaves a required field blank, make sure that the error message clearly states what was not correctly submitted. If the customer can’t tell, he or she may become frustrated and give up, abandoning the shopping cart and buying somewhere else, instead.