If there’s one thing that’s a constant in today’s world, it’s mobility. It’s an indispensable factor wherever you go, and what agent of mobility is greater than the internet? Even businesses aren’t exempt. And given the dynamics of things now, it’s not a bad idea to have a mobile website as a business owner. You’d find so many people on smartphones and tablets these days than you would standing in front of a signboard. So, you might want to rethink your strategies. I’ll be using this article to shed some light on mobile websites and their purpose for your business.
Before I go on, here’s my piece of advice to you. If you have to build a mobile website, go for a responsive website. Take it from me: they’re one of the best interactive ways to build a website. Imagine having a website that resizes itself to fit any screen size it’s on, be it a laptop, monitor, tablet, or smartphone; really, any screen size at all. It’s great, right?
Types of Mobile Websites
If you want to have a mobile website built, you should know that there are two types depending on the methods used. There is the responsive website/method and the Javascript method. I’ll start with the Javascript method.
JavaScript Method
The JavaScript method is a browser-based method for building websites. This refers to a method that configures websites based on the type of browsers used on different phones. This is achieved using a browser-aware code in the JavaScript configuration in your website. As a result, when users log into your website on their mobile phones, the site automatically detects the browsers they use as well as the mobile phone that contains the browser. Then your website’s display will automatically self-adjust to fit the browser’s display. For instance, when a user logs into your website with a browser on an iPhone or Android, your website will detect it using the browser-aware code and adjust the display to fit the browser.
Responsive Method
One of the best things I like about the responsive method is how interactive and fast it is. I know it sounds like I’m telling you which way to go, but that’s just how I feel about the responsive method. It’s a personal favourite. It beats the JavaScript method when it comes to loading because of its responsiveness. It may not have a browser-aware code tied to its DNA, but there’s no display that a responsive website will not fit. It’s the website for all phones.
If users must use a small screen to access your business website, the website will automatically compress itself to fit the screen. In doing that, some of the menus and options get organized into a drop-down box.
Ultimately, you don’t need to do so much to configure your website to adapt to all the browsers that are out there. Instead, a responsive website just works with the displays on mobile phones.
The Purpose of a Mobile Website
Maybe you already have the main website, or maybe you don’t. But you’re asking what good a mobile website will do for your business. Well, let me ask you a few questions. Do you know how much time people spend on their mobile phones? Do you know the ratio of mobile phone users to computer users? Even if every mobile phone user had a laptop, there’s every guarantee that they’ll spend more time on their phone than with their laptop. What if they need to access your business website but don’t have the liberty of flipping open a laptop?
Are you beginning to see the light now?
Mobile websites should be an optimization reserved for mobile phones, and they should also carry information from your main site. You also don’t want the mobile website to be heavy. Mobile phones are designed to render specific functions in record time. Access to your business shouldn’t be any different. It doesn’t matter how great your products or services are. Assume that other people out there can serve as fitting alternatives to your customers/clients, potential or otherwise if it boils down to that. So, your mobile website should be really quick.
Don’t forget to incorporate important details from your main website into your mobile website. It should also have call-to-action buttons like the Find Us feature for your location, Call Us for your phone number, Information Updates, etc.
All these details ensure that you catch enough clients from mobile phones as you would from the main website.
And now, for WordPress users, here’s a little hack on how you can make your main website mobile.
WordPress Mobile Theme Plugin
If you have a business website on WordPress, you may not have to create a different mobile website because it’s now possible to make your main site adaptable to mobile phones. The secret to this is WordPress’ recently released mobile theme plugin. With this plugin, your main site will become an automatic fit for mobile phone users. So essentially, you’d be killing two birds with one stone. Great, right?
Here’s how to go about it:
Access your WordPress website as an administrator. Go to the menu and click on the ‘Jetpack” tab. A reel of rows will open up. Scroll down until you see the mobile theme plugin, then install it. The good news about this is that you can do it for free. After this, the mobile theme becomes visible to users on any mobile phone. The ‘full site’ option is still there and will take a user straight to the main website if they need to go there.
If you don’t want the mobile theme, you can always turn it off.
