When you really take the chance to look at people in any public area today, there’s a very high probability that you’ll see many of them browsing the web with a smart phone, like an iPhone or Android. The truth is, 58% of Americans access the mobile web each day (in the UK the number is 55%, France is 59% Germany is 45% Japan is 78%) , according to a Google study released June of this year (2011), and that number is on an upswing. What’s more is that half of all Americans are expected to own a smart phone by the end of 2011.

To effectively provide this rapidly growing base of mobile web users an effective experience, an increasing number of businesses, website owners and individuals are pursuing mobile website development to make sure their website is optimized for smart phone display (It’s good to be “mobile friendly”). If the exponential growth of mobile web users doesn’t convince you to embrace the mobile web, then consider these facts and benefits to your business:

Better User Experience

Mobile websites are specifically made for handheld devices – nobody wants to browse a desktop website on their smart phone! Research on mobile website usability signifies that mobile-optimized websites significantly improve user experience and satisfaction, that makes a positive impression when it counts. From an I-Crossing study, people were asked if they expect sites they visit on a regular basis to provide a dedicated mobile version – 84% said yes! So, 84% of people are expecting that when they get to a site, that it’s going to have a mobile version.

Quicker Download Speed

Mobile websites are created for mobile standards and optimal loading speed, this results in less waiting and more browsing. As opposed to a regular desktop website, mobile sites use less images and take advantage of the caching ability that mobile devices offer.

Engagement and Context

A mobile website allows your organization to immediately engage users with mobile-specific features such as click-to-call, click-to-text, mapping functions (using built-in GPS) and social media functions (think foursquare and Facebook Places). Furthermore, if you are a local business mobile is particularly significant as more than 51% of all web searches performed from a mobile device are for local businesses. This is much more valuable than having an expensive yellow pages listing, especially since 43% of mobile searches result in a physical visit to the store location and 22% result in a purchase!

Improved Search & S.E.O. rankings

A mobile website produces better rankings on mobile-friendly search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and AIM, and additionally allows placement in an ever-growing number of mobile and local directories.

Brand Identity/Loyalty

A mobile website immediately helps you stand out and conveys a positive, up-to-date brand identity for your company. A mobile-optimized website makes a good statement before you’ve said anything because it shows that you are in touch with your audience and how they use the technology already in their hands. You can even have your branded icon on a users mobile device 24/7 if you give them a good reason to join, such as “member only discounts” or loyalty programs.

Portability and Connectivity

A mobile website can be accessed anywhere in the world, whenever the user needs to find you. This level of constant connectivity provides an unprecedented opportunity to reach your target audiences in new ways, wherever they may be. This alone is making the traditional phone book obsolete.

Competitive Edge

A mobile website places you in the perfect position to stand out among your competitors – if your web site doesn’t look good over a smart phone users will start looking for one that does.  A mobile website helps to ensure that you – not your competitors – capture visitor attention at the exact right time.

Infinitely more Flexible and Cost-Efficient Than Building an App

A mobile optimized website is generally much less restrictive to build a mobile presence compared to app development. The first dilemma is that app development requires producing different apps for different platforms (e.g. iPhone vs. Android vs. Blackberry), and submission to an app store. This makes apps much more fragmented and expensive to produce. This also creates a longer timeline to reach the market, and ultimately, target visitors.

The most crucial aspect however,  is that  users are required to download the app before it can be used. On the contrary, a mobile site is universal to all current smartphone browsers. This makes a mobile sites more flexible and cost efficient, with fewer barriers between you and your target users. Of course, there are many instances where native mobile application development would suit the situation better (interactive games being a primary example), and sometimes it makes sense to get both an app and also a mobile website. But for the well-rounded mobile presence a mobile-optimized website is generally a practical and effective first step.

Additional Opportunities

There are many more additional benefits and opportunities by taking advantage of the mobile web such as mobile advertising, lead generation and mobile commerce. All of the possibilities are covered in other areas of our site but the quickest way to determine what will work best to achieve your goals is to contact us for a free consultation. There is no obligation to work with us and we are confident in our abilities to at least show you some techniques that would help you accomplish your goals faster and more efficiently.