Surfing the web with mobile devices is no longer just a growing trend – it's a business reality. As tens of millions of iPhones and Androids fly off the shelves each month, experts predict that more than half of all Internet usage will come from phones and tablets in the next 18 months.
This means that mobile web users are not just a small part of your customer base, but possibly the
biggest part of it. With that in mind, here are three ways to make your business website more smartphone-friendly:
1. Ask your web developer for a mobile-friendly website design.
Designing for smaller layouts that are used in mobile devices is a special skill. Be sure to ask your web developer if he/she has experience in designing and building mobile-friendly websites. Ask to see samples of websites they have designed and built with mobile devices in mind.
I have an iPhone. How do I test my site on Android phones? There are several websites available to test to see how your website displays in the various sizes of smartphone and tablets.
http://www.responsinator.com is a great site that shows you pictures of what your site looks like in Android phones as well as iPhone, iPad and Kindles. Note that responsinator.com looks best on large-width screens such as desktops or laptops.
2. Mobile-friendly websites use a simpler approach.
A lot of the things that were once in style in business web design – like flash animations, long blocks of text, etc. – are no longer preferred. On the one hand, customers are busier than ever, and don't have time to sift through complicated menus and videos to find what they're looking for. Put your logo and contact info at the top of the page so customers can contact you quickly.
3. Use short forms with drop-down menus.
If you've ever tried to type multiple paragraphs in a text message, then you already know why short forms are so important on mobile-friendly websites. Replace text fields with drop-down menus and multiple-choice buttons. The less your customers have to actually type, the more likely they are to actually contact you and make a purchase.
Do you need help to improve your website to reach mobile users? Contact a member of our team today for your Free 1-hour Consultation.
