Making Your Website Smartphone Friendly

Do you own a smartphone? Even if you don’t, chances are your customers do. Smartphones are now being used to get information on the go. People don’t have the time (or patience) to do a lot of searching on their smartphones because they are usually going somewhere or interacting with other people when they search. Say, for example, you own a home renovation company. A potential client might search for your services on his or her lunch break. Is your business the first thing he or she sees? Even if it is, will he or she be able to navigate your site on his or her smartphone? If you want to market your business to the largest potential client base possible, make sure you include customers searching on their smartphones to your list of target audiences!

Mobile Web SEO

Does Your Business Exist on Google Places?

When someone uses Google on a smartphone, the results come up a little differently than on a computer screen. Let’s revisit our customer looking to renovate his home. In addition to web results, Google will focus on businesses closest to the user’s physical location. If the person searching is close to your business, make sure you stand out from the competition by adding your company to Google Places (need help adding your business to Google Places or optimizing a Google Places page?). Google Places gives users a quick overview of your organization, including general information, hours, location, contact information and more. It’s practically free advertising! A business with more information on their Google Places listing will direct more traffic. This is probably the easiest part of your mobile web SEO plan. All you need to do is fill in your information with Google, they send you a postcard to verify your business and voila, you’re on Google Places! The great thing about Google Places on smartphones is people can get directions to your place of business or call you with just a tap on the screen. Of course, the Google Places listing for your business will also show up on a computer screen. So you’ll be making it easy for your customers to find you – no matter where they’re searching from!

Mobile Web Design

How Does Your Website Look on a Smartphone?

Ever tried to use a website that isn’t formatted for a smartphone? Endless scrolling, difficulty clicking, not to mention long loading times are things every smartphone user hates. If clients can’t use your website on their smartphones, they’ll probably get frustrated and go somewhere else. Don’t lose clients because your website looks terrible on the mobile web. A few mobile web design tips and a good web designer will help you keep visitors on your mobile website and calling you for services. Your mobile web design plan should include:

Larger clickable areas – it is difficult for users to press small links with their fingers

Fewer colors and graphics – this decreases loading time (especially for people with older internet-accessible cell phones)

Vertical menus – most people use their mobile phones vertically, and horizontal menus don’t fit well on a small screen

To-the-point, specific content – users need what they’re looking for quickly and won’t want to scroll through blocks of text on a small screen

Most popular links on the homepage – make it easy for a mobile web user to find what he is looking for right away

Keep in mind, making your website look great on the mobile web does not mean making changes to your existing site. It is a much better practice to create an entirely new site just for your customers on the mobile web. This way, they will land on a page designed especially for their unique needs and situation. This mean they’ll be more likely to bookmark your site and come back to it again and again. A little mobile web design can go a long way toward bringing your website more traffic and making your business more profitable!

The Mobile Web & Your Business

Giving yourself a great presence on the mobile web not only opens up your business to new leads, but it also makes your company look forward-thinking, tech-savvy and ready to serve the new smartphone-addicted generation. Don’t let your business get left behind – a little mobile web SEO and a great mobile web designer can put your business right in the palm of your customer’s hand!