In our previous post we discussed the importance of having a mobile website. As mobile web use continues to grow, those businesses that are one step ahead will profit, while the others will get left behind trying to catch up. Further on this topic, this post will emphasise why you need a quality mobile version of your website, and not just a cheap quickly thrown together one. The difference a high quality, well-designed mobile site makes can be astounding. When viewing the ‘bigger picture’ or website performance, and cost vs. ROI:
A cheap website = lost revenue = an expensive website
Basically, by taking shortcuts and having a cheap mobile site created, your business won’t get the new clients it could with a high quality mobile site, resulting in lost revenue, and ultimately adding costs in order to repair and improve that site that was created. It’s far better to have experienced web developers build you a high quality site from the start than employing them to fix the website you had made once you’ve realised it isn’t up to scratch. Mobile users tend to have less patience than those browsing on a desktop or laptop computer, a result of their internet connection generally being slower, and searches being made ‘on the go’, making it extra important for your site to be easy to navigate. Large, clear, easy to click links and icons are a good start, and optimising these to link to the content mobile browsers are most likely to be looking for is another good step. Google Analytics is a useful tool for this. Begin by investigating which pages on your site are the most popular, and also check if there is any noticeable difference with page popularity between mobile and desktop/laptop devices. Chances are, your ‘contact’ page will be among the most popular sections of your site visited by mobile users, but it’s important to research nonetheless. These are just a few of the factors which contribute to whether you have a good or bad mobile website, and below is a lengthier list covering several important points you need to consider. Good points for mobile websites:
- Keep it simple, straight to the point, with links to important pages easy to find and click on.
- Use big buttons, that are touch screen friendly.
- Make high priority content easy to read also, there shouldn’t be a need to pinch and zoom.
- Minimise the size of pages, and resulting loading time.
- SEO friendly. This is just as important with a mobile site as a full website, having it optimised for search engines will result in more exposure and website traffic.
- Click to call. Many people will be using their phones, make it easy for them to contact you!
- Click for map location/navigation. Also phone related, with GPS being a standard feature these days, this will help web users find your location.
- Links to social media. As most of us use our phones for social media, a link from your mobile site to your Facebook page etc. will make it easier for people to connect with you via your social media channels.
Bad points for mobile websites:
- Slow to load. Having a site slower than your competitors is a big disadvantage. People who visit several sites will remember if one was particularly faster (or slower) than the rest.
- Hard to click. This will frustrate visitors, encouraging them to leave your site and not return.
- Hard to navigate. This too will leave people frustrated and likely to leave the site.
- Lacks some important content of the original site. While a simplified version of your full website, your mobile site still needs to include important content, analyse which parts of your site are the most popular or useful.
- Poor contact form. Having a contact form which isn’t mobile friendly will also encourage visitors to give up and leave, always test forms etc. when setting up a website for mobile devices.
If you’re considering having a mobile version of your website created, talk to experts and get a design that will do your business justice. Quantum are here to help!