The year 2013 was a big one for mobile. It saw the unveiling of multi colored iPhones, smart watches, and even Google Glass. These new devices are new and exciting for consumers. They have sleek designs and operate on groundbreaking technology. But these new devices should be equally exciting to business owners. That’s because they have the ability to change your business for the better, but only if you’re working hard to keep up.

How mobile is changing the marketing game

Five years ago, mobile internet traffic accounted for less than 1% of all internet traffic worldwide. Today, 15% of all internet traffic is a result of mobile devices. The mobile market is nearing saturation, in other words, nearly everyone has a mobile device. Add wearable tech such as smart watches and Google Glass to the millions of mobile devices already in use and you begin to see the future of mobile. It’s here to stay. In the not too distant future, just about everyone will be able to access the internet on the go. If your business isn’t set up to take advantage of all those potential customers, you’re going to miss out.

Have a mobile site

The first step for any business wanting to keep up with mobile is to have a mobile friendly website. People on the go don’t want to pinch and zoom on their four-inch screen and try to navigate around a website that was designed to be seen on a 17 inch screen. In this day and age it’s critical that businesses are mobile friendly when it comes to their website. Mobile sites are basically a condensed version of the original. They highlight only the most important pages, include a much more intuitive and simple navigation, and eliminate the need to zoom, pan, or scroll just to see what’s on the screen.

Setting up a mobile site isn’t just something you do and then set aside. It requires maintenance just like your regular website. You’ll need to watch for hardware and software updates and adjust accordingly to make sure your mobile website is up to speed.

Responsive website design

An alternative to having a dedicated mobile website is responsive website design (RWD). It’s a popular trend right now because it automates much of the work of managing your company’s website. The responsive website design automatically adjusts based on which device is being used to view it. It knows which device is being used to access the website and will tailor the website for the best possible viewing experience on that mobile device. While you can expect to pay a lot more for RWD, the time it saves you by only requiring you to maintain one website just might be worth it.

The bottom line

It all comes down to one fact. Mobile isn’t going anywhere so your business can either sink or swim. If your website isn’t mobile friendly, now is the time to start. Use Google Analytics and determine how much of your web traffic is through mobile devices. You can use that information to decide if your business can benefit from a mobile site. Chances are it can.

Source:  BizJournal