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Growing your business online: The importance of mobile

In an age where mobile and tablet device usage is growing, how do you make your business website mobile friendly?

There’s no ignoring that mobile madness is sweeping the globe. There are now 16.2 million Australians with an internet-accessible mobile, and the average tablet user now spends 13.9 hours per week with their device. In 2012, 55% of retailers were selling through a site accessible via mobile. This was up from 39% in 2011, and just 16% in 2010 [1]. So, users are increasingly using their portable devices to browse for products and services online, and retailers and business will have to go mobile to ensure that users can find them.
Is your business website optimised for mobile devices?
Some platforms automatically create mobile-responsive layouts for your site (Squarespace is one example). But what if you already have an established website and don’t want to move it onto a different platform? How can you make sure users can still browse and buy on your site effectively?

• DIY Mobile sites – There are services and online tools which will convert your existing website into a mobile friendly site for you, often for a small monthly or annual fee. Some notable examples include MoFuse and Dudamobile. These are easy to use, but the drawback is that there is often little customisation available, and few options to pick and choose the amount of content showing up on each of your pages.
• Mobile content – Having a big site with plenty of content is great. But a mobile site needs to be succinct, easy to use, and get to the point quickly. Simplify your navigation, shorten your mobile page content if needed, and make sure it’s easy for them to take your desired action, even on a small screen.
• Mobile payment methods – For your eCommerce site to be successful, users need to feel confident giving you their payment details. For example, if you are a sole trader taking payments on the run, securemobile banking platforms such as CommBank Kaching are a safe and easy way to receive payments on your phone. Electronic bill payment systems like BPAY are now quite easily integrated on mobile sites, as are plenty of other secure and verified credit card payment methods.
• What about apps? – Apps can be a great way to benefit your users and garner more online attention and traffic. However, keep in mind that more than 775,000 apps are available in the iTunes store alone right now, so you have to think about making something that really stands out.