Having a website is a vital marketing move for a business. However, with the popularity of mobile devices, business owners and marketers do well to make the web info easily accessible on more than just a desktop computer. Here are five tips for a mobile-enabled website.

1. Don’t limit the visitors to your mobile-enabled site.
Mobile users should be able to access all of the features on your full site. Since mobile devices are becoming one of the most common ways individuals surf the internet, potential customers should not be penalised or limited when they visit your mobile site.

2. Make good use of whitespace.
When you are designing the mobile version of your site, be sure to only include web content that the user will find relevant. A lot of information will clutter the small screen of a mobile device. Sufficient whitespace will allow users to navigate with ease.

3. Uniformity is important.
Mobile-enabled websites should maintain uniformity with the rest of the company’s brand. The formatting may require you to remove some elements that may not be necessary for a mobile site. However, try to retain most of the designs so that the customers will be familiar with the colours, layout, and theme.

4. Keep your information brief and concise.
Most websites are designed to provide information to users on their computer. On the mobile version of your website, however, keep your company information concise. A mobile phone screen is only about 3 to 5 inches wide. Too much information will hinder the ease of site navigation. Consumers are also interested in getting information very quickly. Sites that centre on graphics are not easy to navigate. This is because the graphics take much space. For mobile-enabled sites, fewer and smaller graphics should be used to increase speed.

5. Take your mobile-enabled website for a drive before you launch.
It is important to test your site before launching it. Make sure your fonts are legible. Look at the link buttons to see if they are large enough to be clicked. The mobile-enabled website should be easy to navigate and aesthetically pleasing.

Mobile devices are becoming increasingly popular around the world. Whether your customers prefer to visit your site from the desktop, laptop, mp3 player, pad, phone, or other device, with a mobile-enabled website your company can be easily accessible for all.

mimosa creations

• According to estimates by The ITU (2011) there are nearly 1.2 billion mobile Web users in the world. In fact, Mobile-broadband subscriptions have grown substantially at 45 percent per annum over the last four years
• It is even forecasted that by 2014 mobile internet will overtake desktop internet usage. This is a powerful prediction and one which businesses can not afford to ignore. However, many are.

• A report by Magus and Investis, found that only 20 per cent of FTSE100 corporate websites currently provide support for mobile devices. Given how difficult it is to navigate a desktop website on a mobile device (particularly mobile phones) this is unacceptable for mobile web users.

How does this affect the mobile-web visitor experience?

People accessing the Internet from mobile devices have completely different needs to those accessing via a desk top – and it is critical that any business with a website not only recognises this, but responds to it.

• Regardless of the size of the mobile or tablet screen, the user will still need to scroll around to view the site in its’ entirety.  Frustrating to say the least, this will also reduce the impact of the site.
• Even with a strong mobile connection, large images will still be slow to load which will again lead to a negative experience.
• It can be really difficult to navigate a desktop site on a compact mobile phone screen.  It may seem like a challenge for web visitors to find what they are looking for or they may not be able to find it at all.
• Many websites use Flash, particularly on their home page, which will not work on many handsets. This will make some of the content inaccessible. Not only with this reflect poor usability but it could also mean that the company’s key message is not being relayed.

What does this mean to businesses?

Businesses needs to make sure that websites are mobile-ready to avoid alienating both clients and prospects who want to visit the site on-the-go.

• Have you looked to see how your website is displayed on a smartphone or tablet? Unless you have specifically tailored your website for mobile, the chances are it is not displayed well.
• If you’re not convinced that this is a potential issue, you should also take a look at your Google Analytics.  This will tell you exactly how many of your visitors are accessing your website via a mobile device and will also show you how many are leaving straight away.  You may well be surprised at the numbers.

Why do you need to act now?

Stay ahead of your competitors.  You have an opportunity to get your brand out there before your competitors all follow suit.  This will ensure clients and prospects a great user experience, leaving them more likely to return.

Mobile SEO. Having a mobile website will improve your rankings in mobile search results. Google gives more value to mobile websites in search results from mobile devices, to ensure the end user has a positive experience. This is great for prospects searching for your services in your local area.

Manage expectations. Consumers are starting to expect similar levels of functionality and experiences as they get on the desktop web. In order to manage customer expectations you need to tailor your website on the Web to make sure they can use it in the way they need to.

Tips for creating an effective and functional mobile website

Functionality is key.  Hours spent on creativity and design is pointless if a visitor can not use the website in the way that they need to.  With this in mind, here are some tips to ensure that your mobile website is functional and effective.

1. Device Detection. Make sure that your site has device detection in place – without this your mobile content is effectively invisible to many users and your desktop website will be served.
2. Speed is critical. Mobile users have very little patience, so reconsider images, particularly large images, to keep download times to a minimum.
3. Site Structure. It’s crucial that you consider what content your mobile visitors will be looking for when on the move. Whilst your desktop can host a variety of interesting pages and features, you are extremely limited with a mobile site.  So only include the most important information.  This would usually be contact details, brief company description, areas of specialism and links to your desktop site and social networking links.
4. Simple navigation.  Make sure navigation is simple and obvious.  Use menu tabs and buttons that describe the page clearly, even if it sounds basic.  Remember, it’s all about usability.
5. Versatility. Your mobile website needs to work well on any platform and wherever you are.

Finally, don’t let developers leave you feeling baffled and overwhelmed and don’t succumb to hefty prices. The most effective solutions are the most straightforward, for both you and the end-user and won’t cost the earth to implement.

We are aware that mobile phones and tablets are playing an increasingly important role in everyday life, our lives in fact.  And the more we use them, the more we expect from them.  Considering this – have you even considered or looked to see what your website looks like on a mobile device? If it has not yet been optimised for mobile, the chances are that the user experience will not be great.

Yesterday, we published an article on fourthsource.com discussing why companies need a tailored mobile presence and how all businesses should be looking into setting up a mobile website or presence, now.  The following stats help to explain why:

• There is an estimated 1.2 billion mobile web users in the world.
• Mobile-broadband subscriptions have grown at 45 percent per annum over the last four years.
• It’s forecasted that by 2014 mobile internet will overtake desktop internet usage.

This is a powerful prediction and one which businesses can not afford to ignore.  Creating a mobile version of your website does not need to be expensive and for many companies could simply be one page.  The important thing is that it provides exactly the right information the user will require on the move.

To read the article in full, please use the following link: Why your website needs a tailored mobile presence now!

For tips,  advice or even a quote to build your mobile website, please contact us and we’ll be happy to respond.

With over half a billion people accessing the mobile internet across the globe last year (with an estimated 19m million monthly mobile Internet users in the UK alone) there is no denying that this channel is rapidly picking up pace.

The article explains that at the very least, companies need to optimise their websites for mobile platforms, to avoid alienating their customers and leaving them easily accessible for competitors who are optimising their site.

This is something we have touched on several times in our recent blogs and can’t stress enough the importance of catering for this audience and their needs.  A simple check on Google Analytics will tell you how many visits are being made to your website via a mobile device.  The results may surprise you.

If the minimum isn’t enough for your business and you want to take the next step – the article suggests 3 mobile tools that are deemed critical in being competitive in the coming years:

1. Real Time Offers.  With social media, mobile and web consumer information all readily available, we can now deliver consumers real-time, personalised and relevant offers at the time they are most inclined to accept.
2. Geo-Targeting.  Real-time offers are more powerful when they are served in the right time and the right location.  Location-based mobile marketing allows business to offer consumers their services, serve adverts and provide promotions based on their location.
3. Personalistion.  The most important factor is relevancy and personlisation of the campaign. EU compliant mobile tracking technologies even allow marketers to measure consumption habits of the mobile users – which helps them to serve content that is timely and relevant.

Exciting and challenging, times ahead…..   Don’t let your competitors pass you by in the interim.  Get mobile today!

The 2 main issues were:

1. It’s difficult to navigate the site
2. It’s hard to read / find information

Not surprising when you consider that the majority of websites running on the mobile internet are designed for desktop use and have not yet been adapted for the mobile web.

This is having a negative effect on user experience and perception of the mobile internet on the whole.  Read more: Why do I need a mobile website?

When asked what kind of information they searched for most, when using the mobile internet, the 3 top uses for respondents were:

• 31% for finding information about businesses
• 30% for finding information out about destinations
• 20% for visiting social media sites

When creating a mobile website, businesses must consider what information is of value to mobile users looking at their website, to ensure that content is easily found and is relevant!

Design is critical.   Read more:  Designing your mobile website – what does it really need? | The role of mobile in local search and the purchase process

Finally another interesting finding was that whilst 48% of respondents had never used the mobile internet to make a purchase: 32% did rarely, 16% did sometimes and 4% did often.

That means over half of the respondents had used the mobile to purchase – a substantial figure, which businesses can’t afford to ignore.  Negative user experience could potentially result in consumers trying it once, but not again – so companies relying on e-commerce to trade, need to seriously consider m-commerce sites or apps for their customers.

Now’s the time to take action.  Be one of the early stars of the mobile internet – get your brand in front your customers, ensuring them a great user experience.

For more information visit DAA Media, we can help with your Mobile Website Design, Mobile SEO and M-Commerce.

Sources:

MarketingProfs: Smartphone Users Frustrated With Mobile Web Experience

Modapt : Survey by Modapt, Inc. and Morrissey & Company Suggest Users Are Frustrated with Mobile Web Experience

Related articles – Mobile :

Why do I need a mobile website?

Designing your mobile website – what does it really need?

The role of mobile in local search and the purchase process

If you are running Google Analytics, a simple check will show you how many people are visiting your website from a mobile device.  We would be surprised if this figure was less than 5% of visits overall.  Can you afford to ignore this….. Particularly if your competitors have already created their own mobile websites?

Mobile broadband is faster now and data is packaged in monthly tariffs.  Some users already appear to be skipping desktop PCs and going straight to mobile as their primary email and web access point. It is an audience that manufacturers of tablets are eyeing hungrily!

Within this emerging market, solutions can seem complex and expensive -  off-putting to small businesses, to say the least.   Don’t let developers leave you feeling baffled and overwhelmed.  We have a back-to-basics philosophy when it comes to mobile website design and believe that the most effective solutions are the most straightforward, for both you and the end-user.

Your clients (existing and potential) who are on the move, want to access information quickly and easily.  They will be looking for something specific to fulfil a need, rather than browsing to use time.  You need to make sure that they what they are looking for easily and quickly.

You should not replicate your entire website but consider which pages your mobile website visitors are most likely to be interested in and keep content, thus download times, to a minimum.

Our mobile website development solutions are based around this and ensure minimal investment but universal solutions. We think mobile web should be kept simple and standard; work well on any platform and wherever you are.

Your mobile campaign should seek to :

• Identify the device being used to view your website by the visitor and deliver the correct version (desktop / mobile;
• Deliver a quick, simple and cost-effective solution;
• Optimise website content for SEO results on the move

You should also consider if any of the following are relevant to you, when developing your mobile design and campaign strategy:

• Location-based searches and maps
• Mobile-based offers
• Mobile voucher codes
• API keys and other database integration
• Web-based and native applications
• M-commerce applications

If you want to make sure your clients find your website on the move and just as importantly have a great user experience, contact us to arrange a free health check and a strategy to develop your mobile website.

With more and more people owning smartphones and using them to access the internet to search for and contact companies, it’s becoming increasingly important to consider creating a mobile version of your website.  Why….?

It’s important to recognise the difference between mobile & desktop internet visitors.

Mobile internet users have different needs to desktop internet users.  It’s important to recognise the difference between visitors to your website. Those accessing the site from a mobile will be on the go and will be looking to fulfil a need quickly rather than simply browsing the site.  You need to understand what information they are likely to be looking for and ensure it is simple to access and fast to download.

The user experience must be a positive one!

If you haven’t got a mobile version of your site, your complete desktop website will be served.  Desktop sites are not designed for the small mobile phone screens which means you will loose control over how your brand and website appears.

Users will have to scroll up and down and left and right, in order to read the information.  Websites with a large number of pages will also have long download times – which can not only be frustrating to the user but also costly.  Ultimately this will lead to poor user experience and a negative impression being left on your company.

Having a mobile website will improve your rankings in mobile search results

Google gives more value to mobile websites in search results from mobile devices, to ensure the end user has a postitive experience.  As mobile websites are only in the early stages, this can present you with a key opportunity to be ranked higher than your competitors for your keywords, if they don’t currently have a mobile site, or will enable you to compete with them if they do.

Your mobile website should complement & work alongside your complete website. 

It’s important that your two websites are complimentary and work together to deliver the right experience to your customers through the right channel.  As your mobile website is a scaled down version of your website and should only contain the key information that mobile web visitors are likely to be searching for, links can be provided ‘for more information’ that can direct visitors to the relevant pages of your desktop site.

Summary

As mobile internet usage increases more and more businesses are likely to create mobile versions of their website.  Through doing so you will be able to; extend the reach of your business; provide mobile users with a positive experience with relevant information delivered easily and quickly and will improve your ranking on mobile search results.