For Some Industries, Mobile Websites Are No Longer Optional

Imagine if 30% to 50% of your website visitors were unable to access your site. Instead, they visit your competitors websites and you lose business. This is already a reality for many unprepared businesses in the food, hospitality and entertainment industries and it’s spreading to other industries rapidly.

Mobile web use is rapidly on the rise and showing no sign of letting up. Since 2009, mobile Internet use has doubled every year. 69% of US mobile users access the Internet from their mobile device every day, and that percentage jumps to 88% for Japanese users – some of the world’s greatest mobile device addicts. In China, 38% of Internet users EXCLUSIVELY use mobile devices. And while working on SEO for several US based restaurants, my research has shown that a minimum of 35% of their website traffic comes from mobile devices, and the percentage is rising monthly.

Consumers now depend on their mobile device to find restaurants, bars, hotels, movie theaters and other business while they are “on the run.” These spontaneous customers might be looking for your business right now, but if you haven’t created a mobile friendly website, you might be losing our on a lot of business.

When I refer to a “mobile friendly” website, I’m not just referring to a website that opens on a mobile device – I’m recommending a completely unique mobile experience designed to deliver targeted information to users in a way that is extremely easy to navigate, with just the touch of a finger. It’s all about delivering the information consumers need – when they need it. Sure, you have detailed bios of all the key people in the business, and I’m sure the 23 blog posts about your mission statement and business philosophy is very eye opening, but when a customer is on the road looking for a great place to eat and your restaurant website is too cumbersome to sort through, you can kiss that customer good-bye.

With a few simple steps your website can identify what type of device a user has, and deliver a customized website just for them. These mobile sites need to have the essentials, and only the essentials – phone number, address/navigation information, menu or schedule of events, a way to make reservations, buy tickets, etc. These features need to be front and center – only a touch away. For the users that want to read all the details of your standard website, provide a link for them to access that site if they choose.

For more information on using mobile websites to promote your business, contact Apache Interactive today.