The simple answer is yes!
We are now in the era of mobile web browsing and m-commerce, so if you don’t have a mobile website you are potentially losing out by not tailoring your offering to these users.
Just look at some of these statistics revealed at this year’s Westminster eForum event, which was titled ‘The Future of Mobile’.
- 28% of internet usage is done on a mobile phone
- 16% of search queries in retail are from mobiles (was 10% in 2011)
- eBay sells something via a mobile phone every two seconds
Having an effective mobile website that allows your customers to easily browse information about your products and services on their smartphone or tablet is clearly becoming increasingly important. However for business owners who aren’t sure where to start, the Manchester web design experts at Fluid Digital have put together a handy guide to the basics:
What makes a mobile website different to a desktop site?
The content, style and format should essentially be the same, as businesses need to ensure that their customers are receiving consistent information and messages. However mobile internet devices demand subtle differences in the way that information is displayed to give users a good experience. This means mobile websites need to work differently, for instance taking into account the smaller screen size of mobile devices to ensure visitors can still access the information they need quickly and easily.
Mobile sites need to be finger friendly, not mouse friendly
You may not think it makes a great deal of difference, but as fingers rule the world of mobile web browsing, it is absolutely essential that websites are set up to take that into account. That means pages need to be easy to browse with a fingertip and links and buttons also need to be easily accessible.
Speed is of the essence
Mobile internet users are frequently on the hop when they put their finger to work and are looking for information quickly while in the midst of some other task. If a website is not set up to work quickly and effectively for mobile devices then their users will go elsewhere – and fast!
Another crucial point is that most mobile users access the internet via a 3G connection, not broadband, with typically much slower download speeds. For that reason it is important that mobile websites are not graphic heavy as this can slow the process down even further, leading to frustrated visitors who are unlikely to buy from you.
Don’t over complicate
There may be lots of different features on your main website, but are all these relevant to a mobile user? Think about what would be important to the user browsing on a mobile and don’t deviate from that when working with your web design agency on a great mobile website for your business.
Link back to your desktop site
There will always be some mobile internet users who will prefer to use your full desktop website. Therefore all mobile websites should include a link back to the desktop website to enable visitors to easily navigate between the two.
If you need advice about creating a mobile website for your business the team at Fluid Digital would be happy to talk you through the options and best way forward. Call us anytime on 0161 762 4160 or email [email protected] for an informal chat.
