Do I really need a mobile-optimized site?
We’re in the midst of a mobile explosion. The dawn of smartphones has seen these increasingly-ubiquitous tools go from strength to strength and recent figures suggest the trend is here to say. But just how popular is mobile and do you really need a mobile-optimized site in this day and age?
Usage
As more and more people access the internet through their mobile devices, there are obvious opportunities for brands to get their foot in the door and cater for this demographic. We’ve rounded up some key stats that paint a detailed picture of the extent of the mobile boom:
– Mobile Internet Usage – Twelve per cent of UK users and 43 per cent of US internet users log on to the web via a mobile device. Furthermore, Microsoft predicts that mobile internet will overtake desktop usage by 2014.
– Mobile shopping – More than one in five smartphone owners in the UK and Germany have engaged in shopping on a mobile handset, while 25 per cent of mobile users only shop on their smartphone.
– Using mobiles in-store – Mobile users are ploughing tons of time into retailers’ apps and 80 percent of shoppers want more mobile-optimized product information while in store.
– Mobile marketing – Brands are keen to capitalize on the trend, with many increasing their mobile budgets exponentially.
The Benefits
We’ve established that mobile and particularly smartphone usage is increasing at an exponential rate, but how can having a mobile-optimized site help you cater for this increasing user base?
While the cost of producing custom apps has fallen sharply in recent years, this can still be relatively high for companies at the smaller end of the scale. However, a mobile site is comparatively inexpensive and much easier to update than software.
An existing site can also be converted or extended to cater for a range of mobile devices and browsers, and can be easily synced to the main site. Once this is live, there tends to be little need for maintenance and long-term investment.
A site optimized for the mobile experience can help you to reach a wider market, placing you ahead of portals that force mobile users to jump through hoops to navigate.
Features
Optimizing your site also unlocks access to a range of features that can help you to actively engage users logging on to your page. For instance, tools that incorporate mapping and Geo-location functions open up a wealth of possibilities for interaction as do features like click-to-call.
Mobile optimization can also work in tandem with offline marketing and tools like QR (quick response) codes are a great way to bridge the gap. By using these in-store or on adverts – you can point users to the online resource of your choice.
It’s inescapable
The easy answer to the question posed in this article is ‘yes’ and that’s because the move towards mobile is inevitable. While brands certainly still have time to drag their heels on mobile optimization, they will be increasingly left behind by those that jump on the bandwagon.
Sites that do opt to cater for mobile will be well-set in terms of SEO in the coming years. Google has encouraged companies to branch out in this area and revealed that mobile-friendly sites will rank better on searches conducted via mobile devices.
So the question is not ‘Do I really need to have a mobile-optimized site?’ but rather ‘Can I afford not to have a mobile-optimized site?’
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