State Farm’s focus on acquisition and account management makes its mobile site a leader in the auto insurance category, according to a study from Forrester Research and Key Lime Interactive.

The company’s mobile site was recently ranked highly for its performance in the auto insurance category by Key Lime Interactive. Additionally, recent findings from Forrester Research show that State Farm has been ramping up its desktop Web initiatives in the past two years.

“Our mobile Web site is the preferred touch point for customers interacting with State Farm from a mobile device,” said Erica Roehm, senior analyst of enterprise Internet solutions at State Farm, Bloomington, IL.

“The site provides users with easy access to policy and account information utilizing a simple navigation system,” she said. “It also provides users with quick access to information on connecting with a State Farm agent if they wish to do business in person.

Mobile value
Key Lime Interactive recently published its Sept. 2012 competitive review and awarded State Farm for the fifth consecutive time. The site ranked well for its account management and acquisition tools.

For instance, to help consumers find nearby agents, the mobile site includes built-in GPS that locates agents nearby. Users can then either email or call agents to learn more. By letting users contact agents directly, State Farm’s mobile site gives users quick access to information, which can be used to acquire new accounts.

Current clients can also access account information while on the go, including filing a claim.

Besides a mobile Web site, State Farm also has a variety of applications available for iPhone, iPad and Android devices. The Key Lime report notes the access to policy information and the accidental detail feature on the company’s Pocket Agent app as particularly important.

In addition to mobile, State Farm has been building up its desktop Web efforts as well.

For example, Forrester recently announced the results from its U.S. Auto Insurance Secure Site Report, which looks at the Web site performance of five top private passenger auto insurers. In 2010, State Farm took last place in the report. However, based on improvements in value, functionality and content, State Farm tied with Geico for the No. 1 spot this year.

Mobile initiatives
State Farm has been active in the mobile space for a while.

Most recently, the company updated its iPhone and Android app to include easier user navigation (see story).

State Farm also regularly turns to mobile advertising to help promote its services and promotions.

For example, last year the company married mobile and social in an ad campaign to give users who tweeted at @StateFarmNation the chance to win a party on the Intrepid aircraft carrier museum (see story).

“The organization will continue to focus on providing mobile Web site users with increased functionality and access to more features,” Ms. Roehm said.

“We will continue to offer a premier mobile and native app experiences that keeps pace with advancements in the mobile space,” she said.

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is associate reporter on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York