With the advent of more advanced mobile phone technology, and more mobile network providers allowing customers greater amounts of Internet access as part of their contracts, more smart phone users are making use of the Internet on the go.
Phones are no longer being used for just calls and text messages, and instead people are making use of them for checking travel information, playing games when they are bored, keeping in touch when on the move, finding places to dine while out and about, and researching essential product information while shopping to get the best possible deals.
Businesses have responded to this uptake of mobile Internet use by making more use of QR codes on product packaging, advertising flyers and in store windows so potential customers can scan these using their smart phones and be taken straight to their websites faster than ever. However, letting customers know how to find your business online is only half the battle.
It’s a waste of time and resources if potential customers visit those sites on their smart phones find that the site takes too long to load, or doesn’t display properly because of the images being used, animations, or is too small to read because the smart phone has had to optimize the website and resize it to fit it on the screen.
A recent study that was conducted by Google of smartphone users in relation to websites entitled “What Users Want Most From Mobile Sites Today” revealed some shocking results that businesses need to deal with urgently if they don’t want to lose customers to their competitors. From this survey, almost 80% reported that they would go to an alternative if the one they visited was not mobile friendly, and almost half of those surveyed found unfriendly mobile sites frustrating to use.
From a sales point of view, if your site is mobile-friendly, two-thirds said that they would be more likely to actual purchase something from that site than if it was a normal website and three quarters would be willing to make a return visit – essential if your company is dependent on repeat business from customers.
Smart phone users are becoming more demanding from their online experience with mobile websites, and now have high expectations. It is no longer sufficient to simply have a site that will work on mobile phones, but if your site can meet or exceed the needs of your customers, they are more likely to remain on your mobile site, and have a positive impression of your business, and more importantly make purchases from you.
Again, referring to Google’s research, almost 80% of users said that they expect to be able to find the information they are looking for in a couple of clicks, and three-quarters want to be able to find out when a business is open and where they are located, and equally that their site will display on their smart phone’s screen better with over half wanting the ability to contact companies directly from their mobile.
Without making changes to the way your website functions to cater for the needs of mobile users, businesses run the risk of losing a large customer base and in this economic climate, no business can afford to do that.
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