It’s a Thursday night and a group of friends are about to enjoy dinner at a corner pizzeria. But, the pizza pie is still baking, so the only thing there is for them to do is pick up their phones. Browse, tap, tweet, swipe. Repeat. They’re launching their favorite apps. It’s just a stroll down the mobile land of news feeds, Facebook and Twitter. We all do it. No big deal, right? Even if you prescribe to the practice of unplugging once in awhile, the fact is undeniable: We love our mobile devices. Mobile is a big deal. Just take a look at the evidence. For example, a recent Facebook survey revealed that people tend to care about their mobile devices. Perhaps a little too much.
The study revealed that in an average month, there are 51 million posts, comments, likes and shares on Facebook about lost phones in the U.S. And there’s this: News organization have seen a recent boom to mobile traffic, prompting many newsrooms to pay closer attention to the mobile audience and mobile platform development. Marissa Mayer, the current president and CEO of Yahoo, has recently highlighted the potential innovations in the realm of mobile search. It’s exciting stuff. As you can see, mobile is a big deal.
So, where are you?
While developing a new app for you business may be out of the question at this time, it’s important to take note of your mobile friendliness. If you’re already on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Yelp and other social media sites, you’re on the right track for garnering a following, especially with those whose demographic for smartphone ownership is the highest: the 18-34 age group. And the technology will only improve. Location-based alerts, smart searches, mobile pushes, reminders, social media elements. The list goes on for what a mobile presence might be able to do for your company. But if you haven’t quite made it into the Apple Store, your webpage is still a valuable portal to your business and services. So make sure it’s tuned up to meet your clientele base’s needs.
So, ask yourself this: Are people seeing what you think they see on your website?
Google’s mobile emulator allows you to see what your visitors actually view when they’re on their various types of phones or devices. This is an important tool and will allow you to find trouble spots. Perhaps your web developer has already taken this step, but it never hurts to check. Remember, first impressions go a long way. Go here for more info. Thinking mobile first might be the way to go, but, for some, maintaining a smart and easy-to-use desktop site is the priority. But remember that your website is being viewed on multiple platforms. For more information about how to ensure that your site is optimized for mobile, check out Google’s Multi-Screen Resources. And if you would like help building a new website to make it more mobile-friendly, feel free to reach out to us.