Max Sutcliffe, Web Designer at Atelier Studios, talks through the various mobile solutions available for businesses to capture the growing portion of mobile traffic.
Did you know, mobile traffic accounted for 30% of all web traffic in 2012, a figure that is expected to rise to 50% in 2014*. What’s more, 40% of people admitted that they had abandoned a site before because it wasn’t mobile optimised**. With this increase in mobile devices being used for browsing, websites are constantly being downloaded on-the-go. In line with this, businesses that want their slice of the mobile market need to make sure that their websites look great and are easy to use for mobile users. This is achievable through the use of either a mobile site or a mobile responsive site.
Which is which?
A responsive site responds and adapts to devices with smaller screens. The HTML structure, content and images remain as they are on the desktop site but the elements on the page resize to fit on the smaller screen giving a better experience for mobile users. Mobile responsive sites use the same core code as the desktop website so aren’t optimised to load fast over 3G / data networks. Mobile responsive sites are generally a more cost effective option but can be limited in functionality.
A mobile site can be tailored specially for mobile users taking advantage of different templates, content and bespoke functionality optimised for mobile devices. Mobile sites are usually recommended for larger sites that have complex functionality that would other wise be difficult to replicate in a responsive site but do cost more. Mobile sites use code optimised for mobile devices so will load faster and generally provide a better experience.
So which is right for my business?
The first step is to find out how much of your current website traffic is coming from mobile, which can inform how much you should invest in a mobile solution. Mobile responsive sites can usually be included as an extra option to your existing website and they generally suit companies working with a smaller budget who don’t need have bespoke functionality. However, for those with a significant portion of mobile web traffic, higher budgets, bespoke functionality and large amounts of content a mobile website would be the best solution. There is unarguably a place in the market for both mobile responsive sites and mobile sites. The key is to segment your web traffic and work out which solution is a better fit for your customers.
For more information, check out Max’s latest seminar video here
An email will be sent to you with your membership details.
New research from LinkedIn reveals that at any one time of B B buyers are not in the market for the thing you are selling so while all brands want instant results building awareness will always be key Whether you ...
There is a litany of poor marketing and advertising practices remembered in a new survey from the New Statesman Media Group New Statesman Press Gazette sustainable luxury lifestyle and ESG publishers From Fyre Festival to Kendall Jenner and Pepsi to ...
Drayton Bird recently received an email that left him astounded. It was the work of a mad man! Yet its level of crazy was matched by its brilliance. On your marks... Get set... Go!
Leave your thoughts