Did you know that over 70% consumers expect businesses to have a mobile-friendly website?
In an era where mobile devices are fast replacing PCs and laptops for a variety of tasks, not having a mobile-friendly website is equivalent to committing business suicide. Consumers continue to do more on their mobile devices, including shopping (looking for bargains, comparing prices etc.), product research (product related feedback on forums and social media channels) and even making reservation for travel and dining out.
Let’s find out a bit more about why mobilising your website is essential.
The Statistics – Tip of the Iceberg
The Australian Mobile Phone Lifestyle Index (Oct 2012) is a key source which gives an in-depth view of how popular mobile devices are in the country. Smart phone and tablet ownership was at 76% and 40% in 2012, and by mid-2013 these figures are projected to go up to 84% and 70% respectively. This means more than 75% of your target audience will be on a mobile device in a few months time! Is your business ready to cater to their usage patterns?
Studies conducted by Morgan Stanley indicate that the next two years will see mobile internet usage surpass that of desktops. To add to this, the study also forecasts that the number of mobile devices will exceed the number of people on earth!
It gets better – it is estimated that over 40% of Australian use their smart phones to compare prices online and also look at product/service reviews prior to making a decision to purchase. Studies indicate that more than 60% of users will not return to a mobile website, if their initial experience was not satisfactory.
Now that we have scratched the surface with the statistics, let’s find out how we use smart phones in our day to day lives. This behavioural study is essential to optimise your mobile website for maximum results.
How Australians Use Their Smart Phones
In today’s context, the first thing we all do upon waking up is reach for our smart phone. Research reveals that Australians have a tendency to alternate between the computer and smart phone even before heading to work.
A show of hands please, how many of us are guilty of that?
Recent studies conducted by Yahoo!7 further indicates that smart phones are a boon to all those who travel to work via public transport as it allows them to surf, look for information and get social. When commuting to and from work, Australians generally tend to plan their social activities and shopping. Both of which, depending on your type of business, can offer your mobile website a lot of visibility.
Yahoo!7 further found out that evenings are times when Australians tend to kick back and relax with their tablets – and their main activity, shopping online! With tablet usage projected to hit 70% this year, businesses cannot afford to shy away from incorporating a mobile strategy.
Now that we’ve seen the huge opportunity, the question arises, just what do consumers look for in a mobile-friendly website?
Essential Requirements for a Mobile-Friendly Website
As we are aware, mobile devices are used generally on the go or to make quick decisions. It is essential to keep in mind that a user’s viewing behaviour differs significantly when viewing a website via a mobile device and a desktop/laptop. A user visiting a mobile website is task oriented. Thus, it is imperative to keep the design simple and ensure functionality and easy navigation, with only essential information provided in a selective manner. This makes the following features essential to offer the user an unbeatable mobile experience.
* Loading time – Mobile-friendly websites are expected to load within 5 seconds
* Clean, functional design
* Buttons to be big and user-friendly
* Limited and one-directional scrolling
* Links to the company’s social media profiles
* Concise and relevant information
* Website should easily fit into the small mobile screen
* Easy-to-use search option
* Click-to-call and text buttons
* Quick access to business contact information – including location and operating hours
* Company’s usual website should be easily accessible
Taking the above factors into consideration it is important that it is in your best interest to ensure your business has a mobile-friendly website, which gives prominence to the end-user and his/her preferences.
Feel free to get in touch with us if you have any mobile-website related queries and also to find out how we can help your business.
About solomoIT
SolomoIT is a digital marketing agency, based in Sydney, Australia, offering fully integrated social, local and mobile marketing solutions.