Are Britain’s businesses mobile ready?

An attractive website used to be enough to guarantee a strong company web presence, but these days they need to be mobile friendly too.

 

This is because mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets are increasingly popular and widely available, and consumers enjoy the convenience of using them to access the internet while on the go.

 

However, businesses could find themselves losing clients if their sites are not optimised to embrace the mobile world.

 

A recent study from the University of Stanford revealed that badly designed mobile websites put an unnecessary strain on smartphone battery life.

 

The researchers warned that draining the battery of a phone could potentially reduce the number of visitors to the site.

 

Internet psychologist Graham Jones noted that mobile is “fundamental” to businesses which cater to the “human need for convenience”.  If a firm’s mobile site is not of a high standard, customers are likely to simply go elsewhere for the products and services that they need.

 

This appears to be supported by the fact that bounce rates – whereby a web user logs on to an e-commerce site but leaves without buying anything – are at least ten per cent higher on mobile devices than on desktop or laptop computers.

 

Often, this is because poorly optimised websites cause users to give up in frustration before they have completed their purchase.

 

If this is the case, how can companies ensure that their mobile sites are user friendly?

 

Google experts recommended that companies optimise their sites with good visibility, accessibility and thumb-friendly features.

 

It is also desirable to implement a synch feature connecting it to the parent site.

 

The search engine giant recently launched its Get Mo site to provide businesses with the necessary tools to create a professional mobile website.

 

Allowing consumers the convenience of a mobile site with the professionalism of the parent site is key to online business success.