This is part 1 of a 7 blog series that will give you the information you need to turn an idea into a Smartphone Website that captivates your audience. In this blog series you will learn 4 key areas needed when creating mobile websites. These include:
- Planning for mobile success
- Selecting a Web Content Management System (WCMS) for your mobile website
- Testing your mobile website
- Achieving mobile success
Part 1/7 - Introduction
According to Nielsen, the average internet session lasts 56 minutes when using a desktop computer, but under 5 minutes when using a smartphone. The reason is because smartphone users navigate the web with a specific goal in mind when they’re on the go. The paradigm is shifting, content used to be the king of the web, but in the mobile web, context is the king.
Smartphone users have their devices with them 24 / 7. That means, they browse the web while shopping, reading the newspaper, watching TV, and even when they shouldn’t be using their phones, like looking for directions while driving. Business owners cannot expect a message that has been carefully crafted for desktop users to have the same impact on a smartphone user.
PC’s and phones have major differences in terms of hardware, browsers and operating systems. For example: phones have smaller screens and resolutions, the finger is the main input mechanism, smartphones don’t support events like “mouse over” but they support events like swipe or tap and hold.
If hardware, software, context and usage patterns are different, a fair conclusion is: the mobile web and the desktop web are different channels.
And, how important is to take advantage of the mobile channel?
According to Mary Meeker (named one of the ten smartest people in tech by Fortune magazine) we’re in the midst of the fifth major technology cycle. She predicts that within the next 2.5 years, there will be more people connected to the Internet over mobile devices than desktop devices. Another prediction is that businesses that adapt well to the mobile web will Win Big, while others will wonder what just happened.
If you don’t have a mobile strategy yet, you can use this blog series as the starting point for your mobile success. These steps will guide you through the planning, implementation, testing and improvement of a smartphone website that is compelling to your users and helps you achieve the goals of your organization.
To learn more, please stay tuned for part 2 of this series