Manage your small business through your mobile device
Now more than ever, people are increasingly using mobiles and tablets to transact and search for businesses, products and services online. Not only that, they expect the experience to be fast, efficient and easy. However, many businesses and organisations have yet to implement a mobile strategy. Just look at how people are using mobile today, (sources Google/Ipsos 2012).
- 8 million people in the U.K. use smartphones to get online every day
- 84% of people with a smartphone use it to look for local businesses
- 78% go on to call or visit that business and 1 in 5 buy something
- Mobile searches have grown 400% since 2010
- 70% of mobile users have compared prices on their mobile
- 65% have read product reviews on their mobile
- 50% of mobile searches lead to a purchase
- Mobile users want to connect with business in their local area
- 95% of smartphone users have searched for local information
- 61% of mobile users call a business after searching and 59% visit the location
- 90% of these users act within 24 hours
- Apps are fun and useful, but people prefer mobile sites for research and shopping
- 81% prefer mobile sites for researching prices, products and services
- 79% prefer mobile sites for product reviews
- 63% prefer mobile sites for purchases
So we can see that the business case for adopting a mobile website strategy is overwhelming. But don’t rely on these statistics. Go to your website analytics and see how many people are accessing your website via a mobile device. For some sectors such as retail, leisure, travel, hospitality, the figures can be higher than 30%. This then is your decision gate.
What Is A Mobile Website?
All standard websites can be accessed via a smartphone, but mobile websites are specifically designed to suit the device’s small screen, slow speed, and limited functions. Mobile sites show users exactly the same vital information, but in a way that it is easier and faster to navigate. By creating a mobile website for your business, you will be able to make the most of the new advertising opportunities that this technology offers.
A mobile website differs from a standard website in a number of ways:
- Pages are more compact so that they are easily viewable on a smaller screen
- Websites load faster to suit limited smartphone capability
- All data is simplified to make it easy to negotiate
- Flash and other multimedia elements that are not compatible with all mobile devices are avoided
How To Create A Successful Mobile Experience
A typical user spends an average of 77 minutes per day on their smartphone, so creating a well-designed, mobile optimised website can boost your business’s online visibility, enhance brand perception and yield significant results. Therefore it is important to consider the expectations of mobile users.
Users expect their mobile experience to be as good if not better than their desktop one.
- 71% of mobile users expect the mobile site to load as fast as the desktop site
- 60% of mobile users expect the page to load in 3 seconds or less
- 78% of mobile users will try to reload a site 2 times or less before moving to another site, (a competitor!)
A bad mobile experience can cost you customers and revenue.
- 57% would not recommend a business with a poor mobile site
- 40% have turned to a competitor’s site after a poor mobile experience
- 23% of adults have cursed at their phone after a bad mobile experience
Here are just a few guidelines that a successful mobile website should include:
- Simple layout: The most important difference between a mobile site and a standard site is the way that it is laid out. Your website needs to be easy to read on a much smaller screen.
- Cut out all non-vital information
- Reduce the number of links per page and prioritize links in order of popularity and importance
- Avoid using forms or tables
- Aim for fast download speeds so you do not frustrate visitors
- Integrate with location maps: A wide range of mapping functions can be included as part of a mobile website. The technology is able to alert a customer when they are close to your premises or navigate them directly to it.
- Use one-click features for call-back, send brochure, email me, call me etc.
- Connect with offline media: Smartphones are carried with people wherever they go, so the devices have an unprecedented ability to connect online and offline forms of advertising. QR codes are scanned by a phone’s camera and will connect the web browser to a specific webpage, such as a landing page or buying page. The code can be added to magazines, posters, brochures, and any other form of print advertisement.
The Results You Can Expect From A Mobile Website
By creating a mobile optimized version of your website, you can increase your sales, boost your visibility, and make a positive difference to your business’s brand and image. Here are just a few of the possible advantages:
- Higher Google ranking
- Search engines like Google are able to recognize when a person is using a smartphone and will feature mobile optimized websites higher in their search results. Your easy-to-read site will have an automatic advantage over your less up-to-date competitors.
- Positive customer experience: Once a customer enters your site it is important that they have an enjoyable experience. If a web-page is difficult to read, then a user looking for specific information will simply move onto a more suitable site – a competitor. By having a clear and concise layout, you can ensure that each visit creates a positive impression of your business.
- More sales: Expanding your website to meet the needs of the mobile market is an ideal way drive up your profits. Making the buying process as simple as possible and reducing the number of steps it takes to get from landing page to purchase is key in maximising sales.
- A better brand image: Having a user-friendly, mobile optimised web page will give your business a contemporary, technology aware image. As mobile websites continue to become a mainstream reality, businesses without them are being left behind.
How To Get Started
Creating a mobile website opens your business up to a huge marketplace that is continuing to grow. However, without extensive online marketing knowledge, developing a successful mobile website design and overall marketing strategy can be difficult. Why not call us on 01621 854 554 to discuss your mobile project now.
About Heart New Media:
Heart New Media is a full service digital web, mobile and marketing agency providing innovative and results-driven services to clients in London, Essex, Kent, Anglia, Liverpool, Manchester and throughout the UK and overseas. Based in Chelmsford near London we have experience across all sectors including Retail, Luxury Brands, Travel and Tourism, Financial Services, Utilities, Hospitality and Leisure, Charities and Not For Profit, Trade Organisations and Public Sector.
Website: http://www.heartnewmedia.com
Email: info@heartnewmedia.com
Telephone: 01621 854 554
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