Do You Need A Mobile Website?

Did you know that there are more than 1 billion cell phones and only around 200 million computers? More and more people are turning to their cell phones to access the internet. They watch television on them. They use them to read books, magazines, blogs, and websites. And they use their cell phones to bank, learn, and shop.

With all of that compelling information you may think that a mobile website is an absolute necessity. However, the popularity of mobile devices doesn’t mean that your website needs to be mobile ready.

If you’re building a website or already have a website here are a few important questions to ask yourself to determine if a mobile website is right for you.

Who Is My Target Audience and How Do They Use the Internet?

While mobile devices are increasing in popularity, some demographics use smart phones more than others. For example, if your audience is 20-30 year old, then it’s important to know that more than half of them own cell phones and use them frequently. However, less than 20% of people over the age of 65 own cell phones. If you’re marketing to an older audience a mobile website may not offer any additional benefit.

You want to consider the location of your audience, because mobile use is greatly impacted by geographic location. More than 50% of the mobile subscriber base is located in the Asia Pacific. Is that your audience? So how can you determine the mobile use of your audience? One way to determine the mobile use of YOUR target audience is through the use of surveys. Surveys are good but I recommend you also consult your website analytics. People will say one thing in a survey but you want to see what they are actually using to access your website.

How do you determine home many people are accessing your site using a mobile device? I know there are other analytics programs available such as Quantcast, but I am going to show you how to find this info using Google Analytics.

Step 1. Click on the Mobile menu option under Audience

Step 2. Click on Overview

Step 3. Scroll to the bottom and you will see a breakdown of the number of visitors using mobile devices.

Step 4: Click on the Secondary dimension Change the Secondary dimension to Visitors/Region or Visitors/Continent or Visitors/City depending on your target audience.

Now you have an even better picture of your desired audience use of mobile devices.

What Does the Future Have In Store for You?

What are your long term goals? Will your business website eventually need to be mobile ready? If you believe that you may need or want a mobile website in the future, consider creating it now. It’s often much easier to create a mobile ready website from the very beginning rather than having to convert an existing site.

Will A Mobile Website Help You Reach New Markets

Finally, ask yourself if a mobile website will help you broaden your reach. Will a mobile website open you up to a whole new audience? If the answer is yes, then it may certainly be worth the extra time and effort. If you can offer something new on your mobile website or use it to build brand awareness, it is a worthy investment. And if you can use a mobile site to position yourself apart from your competition, again it may be worth the investment.

A mobile website can be a fantastic way to reach your customers. However, it’s also important to know your customers intimately. Do they browse the internet on their mobile device? Do they shop online? Would a mobile website serve a significant purpose? If the answer is yes, then consider building a website that is mobile ready. It’s easy to create a mobile ready website and if you already have a website up and running Pintop Productions can assist you in the conversion process.