Look around when you are on the bus, in an airport, or even when you are at work and you will notice that individuals are glued to their smartphones. On average, 43.5% of people access the internet via a mobile phone each week, and this number is only continuing to rise. Google conducted a survey in late 2012 titled “What Users Want Most from Mobile Sites Today,” where over a thousand smartphone users were surveyed. 67% of people indicated that they were more likely to purchase a product or service from a business with a mobile-friendly website, as well as 61% of users stated that they would leave a site if it is not mobile-friendly. Clearly mobile friendly websites are more important than ever before.
Since mobile devices usually have relatively small screens and a different way of interacting with content, simply shrinking text into the device’s screen won’t do. Customers want to be able to easily access important information such as your business’s hours, how to contact you, and where to get more information about your products or services. There are many different methods to make your site mobile friendly, which option you choose should be based on a strategy that is congruent with your business objectives as well as weighing in the total cost and benefits to your business. There are a few key principles to keep in mind when creating a mobile site. First, keep it simple; users typically want to do a few basic things on their mobile phone when accessing a site. Second, design for larger fingers; be sure that buttons and links are large enough to click on without tapping on the wrong thing. Third, cut down content; too many words on a small device can turn users away. A mobile friendly site will improve user’s experiences, create faster page loads, and consistent branding for your business. Regardless of which strategy you use to create a mobile site, it is important to test your site on multiple browsers, as well as multiple mediums. A site that looks great on an iPad may appear distorted on an iPhone.
With so many potential customers accessing the internet from mobile devices, your business can’t afford to have a site that is not mobile friendly. Comment below with any questions you have about making your site mobile friendly, as well as any strategies that have worked to make your site available to users on their mobile device!
