Mobile Web Design

Why is mobile web design vital for your online business strategy. The rise and rise of the ‘Smart Phone’, spearheaded by the iconic Apple iPhone, Blackberry and now Android, has opened up an entirely new concept for online business strategy – mobile web design. But mobile web design is different from ordinary web page design and requires a fresh approach if you are to use it successfully. And that’s where a mobile web design specialist can help.

What is the mobile web?

Designing mobile websites for smart devices brings with it some unique challenges and requires a strategic approach from the start. The first thing to remember is that mobile web design requires you to scale down some of the options that are available to visitors. Simplicity is key to ensure usability and that your message gets through. Because of a smaller screen and the often slower download speeds that mobile devices can suffer from, keeping it simple means that your customers can access what they want quickly and easily, with no unnecessary distractions. Tight XHTML, good use of tags and optimised use of images are all key aspects of mobile web design.

Speaking of customers…

So who are your customers for mobile web design? Well, anyone with a smart phone, could be a potential customer. Currently the most common uses for smart phones are to check emails, carry out web searches and to communicate with social networks. But recent statistics from the US show that more users are also taking advantage of mobile browsing for products and that 49% of smart phone owners have used their mobile to buy online in the last six months.

Mobile commerce is expected to reach $119billion in worldwide sales by 2015, making it one of the fastest growing markets. If you want a slice of this very large pie, it’s time to start thinking about optimising your business strategy to embrace that potential mobile market.

Simplicity is key. Remember that these customers are ‘on the go’, so by making your web mobile design clutter-free and easy to access, you’re far more likely to drive a visitor to what they are looking for and convert them at the same time.

A picture is worth a thousand words

Because of the limited screen size, too many pictures may drown your message, slow download times and ultimately cause your visitor to bounce. Screen size has long been a consideration for any kind of web design and more so now with smart devices. The key to effective mobile web design is to prioritise your content and make sure that any images you are delivering are optimised at exactly the right point to get your message across quickly, effectively and simply. Remember that usability and the message have to take priority, so make sure any pictures you use enhance this message rather than swamp it.

So why is this important to me now?

While your website may be doing great business on the Internet, the proliferation of mobile devices and their use ‘on the go’ means that a static audience tethered to a desk PC or laptop is only part of the story. 61% of US Fortune 500 companies are already planning and implementing the use of mobile web design into their sales strategies. If the big boys are doing it, so should you. With 75% of mobile searches coming from Android, Blackberry and iPhone users and nearly half of smart phone users already using their mobile devices to buy online, it’s obvious that there’s a huge potential marketplace out there, all eager to buy.

All those commuters sitting on a train or bus surfing the ‘net with their smart phones are potential customers. By incorporating an effective mobile web design strategy as part of your online marketing strategy, you can capitalise on that potential and expand your business into new areas that you possibly would have missed out on if you had just concentrated on standard web design.

How we can help

‘Apps’ have been the driving force behind the success of mobile device technology, and specialist mobile web design has the potential to do the same for business applications on mobile devices as apps did for mobile entertainment. With our help, you can be at the cutting edge of the next generation in web design, opening up an entirely new marketplace ‘on the go’.