There are plenty of businesses in specific industries that would greatly benefit from having a mobile version of their website. It may be that these businesses have not yet realised just what a great benefit having a mobile website is to the growing number of people who are browsing the internet on their mobile devices.
As Shown Above: Responsive Websites
Housemart.co.nz - this property management company choose to have a responsive website for the ease of their customers, some of whom will be using their mobile device to browse their website while physically visiting properties.
NZShred.co.nz - this skate, surf and street clothing store found that a responsive site best suits their customers who may local and shopping around, or among the bulk of season tourists who can view their range and location via their website on a mobile device.
avivafamilies.org.nz - instead of limiting the support that Aviva Families offer, to those browsing their site on their home computer, this company choose a responsive website so they can offer their expert family support to anyone, anywhere, with a site that is simple to view and navigate at home or on a mobile device.
BUSINESSES THAT WOULD BENEFIT FROM A MOBILE WEBSITE
I have chosen the following industries that would greatly benefit from having a mobile version of their website, based on the fact that a high percentage of people looking for these particular businesses are likely to be looking for them while browsing on a mobile device - be it a phone, tablet or iPad. People looking for these businesses are likely to be on the move rather than be sitting at a home computer.
- Hotels
- Motels
- Restaurants
- Schools
- Takeaway businesses, ie. fish & chips / pizzerias / bakeries
- Sports facilities – fitness centres / swimming pools
- Dentists
- Beauty Salons / Day Spas
- Hair dressers
- Auto services
WHAT LOCAL PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR ON THEIR MOBILE DEVICES
Local people who are out and about may decide on the spur of the moment to visit a hairdresser, beauty salon or even a gym or swimming pool, and rather than go home to look on a computer they may want to book an appointment, get in contact, or simply find the opening hours or contact details of a business while out and about and browsing on their mobile device.
After all, deciding in the moment to get your hair done, or visit a gym, is the freedom that we enjoy from not having to always plan ahead, and the internet is the key to finding our location of choice through the flexibility of viewing a mobile website. And then there’s those unexpected times when you’re on the move and a friend urgently calls and says “can you pickup my son/daughter from school?” You want to look for their schools' website on your phone and quickly find the schools location and contact details. Are you making it easy for people to find you?
WHAT TRAVELLERS AND TOURISTS ARE LOOKING FOR ON THEIR MOBILE DEVICES
As a tourist in a new town, you may want to find a café or restaurant that serves a particular dish, so you will be browsing on your mobile device for a local takeaway such as fish n’ chips, indian, chinese or even pizza while you explore the town. Alternatively you may be looking for a local bar or restaurant to dine in, and want to find out their opening hours and the meals they have available.
As a traveller you may have a call from a friend; "plane's been delayed, we have a free day! Where can we go snowboarding, hire gear and find transport, and what hours are they available? Can we book online right now?" People want the ability to find this information quickly and efficiently.
Your car breaks down and you're on the road. Is there a mechanic with a mobile website where I can find their information and get help? Is there a motel nearby?
Does your website provide this information to a mobile device in a format specific to this kind of browsing? Trying to browse a normal website on a mobile device is frustrating and time-consuming and requires a lot of scrolling around the page.
Shown Above: Responsive site vs Regular website on a Mobile
ABOVE LEFT: The image above shows what the whole Housemart website would view like on a mobile device. It clearly does not fit the format and will require a lot of zooming in and scrolling around the page to find what the information you need.
ABOVE RIGHT: This image show the responsive housemart.co.nz website as it would auto-resize to fit the mobile phone format. This information is much easier to view, and navigating the site to find select information is simple.
THE BENEFITS OF A MOBILE WEBSITE
A Mobile Website is a version of your website specifically created to make it easier to find the most important information quickly and clearly. If your competition has a mobile site and you don't, you're at a disadvantage because mobile browsing is becoming the norm, and people are looking for sites on their mobiles that are simple and straightforward.
Browsing the internet is about speed and efficiency, and if a site looks too complex then people will exit right out again to find a site that more clearly offers what they are looking for.
In the competitive world of online marketing, we need to anticipate what our target market are looking for, and ensure we are providing that information in the easiert format possible.
Contact us to discuss having a Mobile Website created for your business, today.
Web Design Project: The Complete Guide
