Mobile Site Design Is Not The Same As Desktop Computer Design
While some people can design and build websites, the fact is that designing a mobile website is very different. There are differences to how the web is being accessed, the small screen size of a phone and the situation of the customer. These include the following:
-a mobile phone is the most personal communication device anyone owns. And, the device has limitations compared to your desktop computer.
-the customer’s situation is one where he/she is on the road. There is no time for leisurely browsing of the web like at home. A person on the move, is looking for specific information that is pertinent to his immediate needs.
Given these differences, here are the four must have elements in mobile website design.
1. Call to contact button.
When your customers are on the phone, they need to get relevant information as quickly and as easily as possible. Probably the first thing they want is a way to contact you now. If they are on the go, they may not have an easy job to write down or memorize your phone number. Instead, it is smarter to have a call to contact button on your site.
For example, if you are a pizza restaurant, you want this call button on the home page. If you are a dentist, post this button on the home page. Make this feature prominent and easy to find.
2. Map
A Google Map is always critical when someone is trying to visit your business. They may read an address on your site, but it is a much quicker read if they know where you are in relationship to a cross street or an area that is recognizable to your customer. Think customer needs first when you are designing your mobile site.
3. Driving Directions
It sounds obvious but many businesses forget to make it simple for customers to get driving directions on the site. You don’t want your customers to have to leave your website to get driving directions. It can be done right there, right now.
4. Auto-Redirect to PC Website
You can have your mobile website detect if your customer is on a computer or a mobile device. You want your customer to have the best experience with your business. A desktop computer website has been designed for the internet. A mobile website should be designed for the mobile net.
Does Your Website Have These Features When You Display At On Your Phone?
Get out your mobile phone, and type in the web address of your business.
When your website displays on the phone, what do you see? If your website is slow to download, or too hard to read, or if it is takes more than three clicks to get to any part of your site, you have a problem.
Mostly likely, the reality is that you don’t have a mobile website at all. All you have is your current website showing up on your phone.
And, by not being respectful of your customers, you are costing yourself sales. A recent study of mobile web users found that two-thirds of their experiences with sites were unfavorable and four out of ten were likely to visit a competitor’s site.
In summary, before you add these key features into your current website, seize the day and build your very own mobile website. And, rather than trying to do it yourself, look for a mobile site builder that is expert at designing custom mobile sites.
