Will your full size website look good on the small screen of a modern smartphone? Possibly, but it’s not the best user browsing experience.
When a brand’s mobile website or app helps a consumer easily find answers to their questions, 69% are more likely to actually buy from them.1
Instead, we can create a mobile-friendly version. The benefit is that the most important content is emphasized for the visitor viewing your website on a small screen.
Understand The Difference
Some people get confused and think that in addition to their website they also need to build an “app” for their business. Think of “native apps” as stand alone applications that have to be downloaded and installed on your smartphone. The major platforms are Apple iPhone and Google Android.
Mobile friendly websites are accessed via the web browser on your smartphone.
While native apps can be cool, the development and maintenance for different smartphone platforms will require significant investment over time. People forget that native apps have to be submitted to Apple and Google for their respective review processes, version updates, plus potentially get exposed to negative reviews/trashing on those stores, etc.
Is my website mobile friendly already?
If you view your website on a smartphone web browser and you have to pinch and zoom alot to read the content, then it probably is not mobile friendly. See for yourself. Put your website domain name into either Google’s or Bing’s Mobile-Friendly Test.
Google publicly warned that as of April 21, 2015, mobile friendly pages may be treated more favorably in mobile search results.2
What do I really need?
For the standard business with more informational than functional needs, it’s really not necessary to go the native app route. Instead, we recommend a long term focus on good, mobile website design that gracefully adapts to the display variations of modern smartphones.
Ideally, your business may benefit more from a mobile responsive website design. This allows the layout to organize according to the device screen dimensions. Some content might shrink proportionally. Other content may re-arrange vertically. Ultimately it let’s you save time by maintaining one website that does it’s best to conform to many device types.
Design with your user in mind.
Another consideration is that your entire primary website does not have to be converted into a mobile website. Throwing in everything plus the kitchen sink isn’t necessarily helpful. The best approach is respect the user by:
- Prioritizing the content
- Keeping it easy to digest
- Drive to a call-to-action
Ready to make your website mobile friendly?
Interested? Great, let’s talk today.
Sources:
1. Consumers in the Micro-Moment, Wave 3, Google/Ipsos, U.S., August 2015, n=1291 online
2. FAQs about the April 21st mobile-friendly update, Google Webmaster Central Blog
