The Growth Of Mobile Websites

The growth in mobile and tablet devices such as Blackberrys, iPhones and iPads means websites are now being viewed on a wider range of screen sizes than ever before. Research has predicted that by 2013, more people will look at websites on mobile devices than on desktop PCs (Source, Gartner, 2010) so you need to consider how your website looks and functions on mobile devices. You don’t want to lose out to your competitors, so what should your “mobile” strategy be?

First you need to research your existing audience and find out what their mobile usage is, the best place to start is with your website statistics (most likely the ubiquitous Google Analytics) which will show you how many visitors are using mobile devices to view your website. Even if it is a low percentage at the moment, you should start monitoring the numbers to plan for the future.

Some good figures to look at are the bounce rates and most viewed content. Are mobile users viewing different content to desktop users? If so it could be that people on the move are after different information. Higher bounce rates for mobile visitors suggest that your website is either too slow or too hard to use on a small screen.

So you’ve decided you need to make your website more mobile friendly, but what next? This will depend on what your current website structure is and what its goals are e.g. online sales, lead generation, brand awareness. For example, if your website aims to get people to call you, make sure your phone number is prominent and easy to spot. If you’re providing information then a single column of text is far more readable on a smartphone than a four column grid.

Once you’ve decided on a mobile website plan you typically have two options, the best approach depends on both your existing website structure and your goals.

Adapt your existing website to display differently depending on the device and screen size, the advantage of this is that you only need to have a single website that then adjusts itself based on how it’s being used.

Direct visitors to a “mobile” version of your website with different design and content, this allows you to create a relevant experience for your different types of users.

To find out more about mobile websites and how they can benefit your online presence, contact your web design company.

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