How Socialmedia.biz looked on a smartphone before and after it was optimized for mobile.
How does your site look on a smartphone?
Many of you may be thinking, My website displays fine in mobile browsers, even if it is a little small.
What’s the big deal?
Just having a mini version of your existing website is not going to cut it. You need a mobile version of your website that addresses all of the following issues:
Load time
1A website designed for mobile will load in around four or five seconds, while a traditional website can take as long as 40 seconds to load on a mobile device. Not only will this lead to much frustration for your site visitors, but it will also keep your site from placing well in mobile directories.
Mobile directories
2Even if your site displays properly in mobile browsers, it may not be indexed by mobile search algorithms. When one uses a search engine on a mobile device, the search query accesses a separate index maintained for mobile content. If your website is not optimized for mobile search engines, it will not place well in such search results.
Mobile browser standards
3Mobile browsers do not work the same as desktop browsers. They do not render video, Flash, image galleries, and many other software and scripts in the same manner as desktop browsers. Most mobile browsers simply ignore Flash. If your site uses Flash or other proprietary software, it may not load in mobile browsers at all. A mobile version of your website that adheres to mobile standards as set by W3C’s mobile web initiative will solve these issues.
User experience
4As discussed in a previous post, users have different expectations when browsing with mobile devices. Not only are they seeking specific information when they land on your site, but they also expect an experience that is consistent with the device they’re using. If you force users to do the “pinch and pull” in order to read your content or navigate your site, they will probably move on.
Stay tuned as we discuss how you can optimize for the mobile web in 2012!
This excerpt was paraphrased from The Boostrapper’s Guide to the Mobile Web by Deltina Hay. The book will be released in May, but you can request a review copy today. Post originally appeared on Mobile Web Slinger.
Related
• Have you made your site mobile-ready? (Socialmedia.biz)
• Why you should care about the mobile Web (Socialmedia.biz)
• Encourage visitors to save your site as a mobile shortcut (Socialmedia.biz)Deltina Hay, a partner in Socialmedia.biz, is an author and educator who develops online curricula on social media and other Internet marketing topics. She also helps businesses prepare their content for semantic search and big data analysis. Contact her, follow her on Twitter and Google Plus, or leave a comment below.
Hi Deltina: thank you for this wonderful and concise article! I have sent you a separate Email a few minutes ago: I wonder why such talented people like you Deltina make it so difficult for us to promote?
I have been searching now for your Twitter name (in Google and in Twitter for about 15 minutes but in vain) for an RT of your article and dutifully credit you for your work but you have truly decided to make it impossible for me! Would you please give me your Twitter name? I think after so much effort I do deserve it don't? Thank you and greetings from over the pond: Bruno
This was a super informative article for the social media company Magic Buz whom I work for and for those people like my husband who have a website for their company who are wanting to advertise their product in the smart phone world, thanks. My hubby would really like to read the book “The Boostrappers Guide to the Mobile Web”.
Bruno, I am glad you liked the article, and did receive your email. I am frankly shocked that you cannot find me on Twitter @deltina or on Google Plus. A Google search using only my first name should do it. I appreciate your taking the time to track me down, though!
Thanks, Chloe! I have a few advance review copies of the book available for folks willing to post an Amazon review.
Well said. The world is going mobile and mobile devices are beginning to take over notebooks and desktops. Normal websites do not display well on mobile devices, Now business owners have started realizing that they need a mobile version for their websites as this can make them more reachable any where. We built a mobile version and app for one of our clients and his business turn out increased rapidly. His clients where able to book his tours directly from their mobile phones.
Another good reason to have a mobile website is that the number of users accessing the web via mobile devices is soon to exceed those using wire line connections. The plummeting cost of smart phones and tablets can only accelerate the process. Anyone that is marketing their business has to consider this potentially huge mobile market, especially as they have a higher conversion rate than static surfers do.