Should You Build a Mobile Version of Your Website?

Smartphone penetration in the global market has never been higher, which has most marketing strategists clamoring to tell you that a mobile version of your site is an absolute must.  But hold on a second – could this default recommendation really be true for all business owners?  Let’s take a moment to analyze whether or not a mobile version is really necessary for your website.

Truth be told, there’s a pretty compelling case to be made for making your website easier to use by those viewers who are accessing it via mobile devices.  According to a study of 5,000 smartphone users that Google conducted with market research firm Ipsos OTX at the end of 2010:

• 71% of smartphone users search because of an ad they’ve seen either online or offline
• 82% of smartphone users notice mobile ads
• 74% of smartphone shoppers make a purchase as a result of using their smartphones to help with shopping
• 88% of those who look for local information on their smartphones take action within a day

In addition, the most interesting information for website owners relates to the smartphone usage of “purchase-driven shoppers” – aka, those who use their smartphones to support or enable a purchase decision.  According to the results of the survey:

• 79% of smartphone consumers use their phones to help with shopping, from comparing prices, finding more product info to locating a retailer
• 74% of smartphone shoppers make a purchase, whether online, in-store, or on their phones
• 70% use their smartphones while in the store, reflecting varied purchase paths that often begin online or on their phones and brings consumers to the store

As a website owner, it’s pretty hard to look at this data and deny that a mobile version of your company’s website would help to increase your profits amongst smartphone-enabled consumers.  However, this data alone isn’t enough to support a blanket recommendation that all website owners should pursue a mobile website alternative.  In addition to considering these statistics, you should also ask yourself the following questions:

Question #1 – Are my users active on smartphones?

According to recent research data generated by U.S. Mobile Insights, smartphone penetration amongst different age and gender demographics have all increased over the last two years, though there are some groups that still lag behind.  Usage amongst the Baby Boomers and elderly continues to be the lowest across the board, which should give you caution against developing a mobile version of your website if your product lines or services target consumers in these age ranges.

Question #2 – Is my current website image or Flash heavy?

No matter what age or gender demographic your website targets, if it’s heavy on graphic content or Flash animations and videos, it’s a good idea to create a mobile version of your website.  These items can make your website slow to load and difficult to navigate in a mobile environment, resulting in frustration for your users which has the potential to interrupt the buying process in purchase-oriented consumers.

Question #3 – Is mobile implementation standard in my industry?

Although web usage via smartphone is up amongst all demographics (and is expected to continue as a trend in the future), it isn’t as widely used in some industries as it is in others.  To determine if enough of your customers are accessing your site via smartphone (thus, justifying the cost of launching a mobile version of your website), you’ll want to do two things:

• First, check on your competitors.  If you don’t see many instances of mobile website versions, it could be that consumers in your industry simply aren’t interested in accessing your site’s information from their smartphones.
• However, because this could indicate that you’re simply ahead of your competition, it’s also important to track how many of your existing customers have accessed your site via smartphone in the past.  To do this, load the Mobile Overview Report within Google Analytics to learn more about how many people visited your site via mobile device and whether or not that number is growing over time.

If your answers to several of these questions lead you to believe that the time isn’t right to launch a mobile version of your website, that’s fine.  Save yourself the money of launching something that people won’t use, but be sure to re-evaluate your answers every so often to ensure that you aren’t missing out on an opportunity to provide people with the resources they’re looking for.

On the other hand, if your responses indicate that a mobile version of your website would serve your business well, it’s time to get started!

The first thing you’ll need to do is to recognize the difference between a mobile version of your website and an app that’s built around your business.  A mobile website version is accessed through the browser of a customer’s smartphone, while an app must be downloaded from the user’s device-specific app store (either Android, Blackberry or Apple).  Both mobile website versions and apps can be simple or complex, and can carry out most of the same functions as your standard website.

For now, though, we’ll focus on mobile website versions, as smartphone users are most likely to come across these through search results or external website links, versus apps, which must be actively downloaded by users.

When it comes to building your own mobile website version, you can either build your own or hire the process out to a professional designer.  As you might expect, building your own mobile website version is a little more complicated, but can be much cheaper in the long run.  Fortunately, you don’t have to learn mobile device coding on your own, as there are a number of different tools and programs out there that can help you with the process:

• Mofuse (basic plans start at $7.95/month) – Mofuse is one of the most popular mobile website development programs out there, and for good reason!  It’s cheap and easy to use (though if you’re pressed for time, Mofuse’s designers are happy to help create your mobile site for you), meaning that you could have a mobile version of your site ready in just a few minutes.
• Wirenode (free for basic package) – The Wirenode program offers a simple way to build a mobile version of your website in minutes.  It isn’t as full-featured or customizable as Mofuse, but it’s free to use and makes an appealing option for bloggers and those with simple site structures and frequently updated content.
• MobiSiteGalore (free for basic package) – MobiSiteGalore is a great option for small websites (those that are three pages and under in particular) as well as for those who want to add more features to their mobile site than Wirenode provides.  In addition to their standard mobile site builder, MobiSiteGalore offers a “Goodies List” that includes click-to-call, add to phone book, Google search and links to PayPal.

On the other hand, if you do decide to outsource the process of mobile site creation to a professional graphic designer, make sure you’re working with someone who has experience building the type and style of mobile websites that you prefer.  Take the time to fully visualize what you’d like your mobile site to look like and then spend time finding the right designer for your project.  Your effort at the beginning stages of the project will be well-rewarded with a mobile site that meets your expectations and satisfies the visitors who are viewing the site from their smartphones.

Image: Witer