Have you checked to see how your website looks on mobile phones? Our web statistics show that around 20% of visitors to our websites use mobile devices (and around 80% of these are on iPhones and iPads), and this number is increasing. This means that if your website is not optimised for mobiles you could be pushing away 1 in 5 potential customers.
How do mobile websites work?
Websites can be 'clever' so that they automatically detect the device being used, and if it has a small screen, then a second version of the website is delivered. This is simpler, loads faster, and is specifically designed for mobile phones. This means that the user will be able to browse and find what they’re after a lot easier without having to fiddle around and zoom in. Large companies are doing this, Google, Facebook, eBay, Amazon, as well as smaller companies such as our clients New Forest Cleaning Company, and VanLocator. Notice how all of these websites are legible and easy to use on a mobile.
Search engines are also starting to favour mobile websites for users searching on their mobiles.
Are they hard to make?
A web developer shouldn't find this hard to do. In fact in many circumstances it’s possible for a developer to modify an existing website, even if it was made by somebody else. Generally speaking they’re much cheaper than the desktop equivalent.
Are they the same as apps?
No, mobile websites use a mobile phone’s web browser, and are essentially a stripped-down website.
Apps are generally more complex, but can also do a variety of extra tasks such as pushing a notification on the users phone.
Web-apps:
Web-apps are a good compromise between mobile websites and smart phone apps. They provide more functionality than a mobile website, and are often used when additional interactive features are required. Their main advantage is they work across nearly all smartphones and are simpler to create; therefore they cover more users at a lower cost.
Smart phone apps:
Smart phone apps are coded for a specific platform, such as Apple iPhones/iPods or Android. They offer the highest amount of features, such as utilising the phone’s GPS, and also allow distribution through Apple’s AppStore or the Android Market.
Which so I need?
That all depends on your business, what functionality you wish your clients to have, and of course budget.
Starting at the bottom end, a mobile website shouldn’t cost much, and will ensure that mobile-browsers can view your website quickly and with ease; whilst mobile or web apps are the cutting-edge way of keeping in touch with clients 24/7, sending notifications directly to their mobile phones, and providing clients with the slickest interface.
If you’re interested in knowing more, or would like to know which would benefit you, then please get in touch.