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• Juvo • March 26, 2020
The importance of mobile websites - Juvo

For many years’ websites could only be viewed reliably on a PC. However, the explosion of smartphones led many marketers to realise websites needed to be as effective on mobile phones and tablets too. This happened in the late 1990s and saw many companies create separate mobile versions of their websites.

This caused a number of problems as the PC website and the mobile website were often different. The mobile websites still weren’t optimal and often did not contain as much information and were difficult to view without considerable amounts of scrolling. It was costly and time consuming to maintain both, and errors were often made between the two different sites.

In the mid-2000s, Ethan Marcotte, known as the Godfather of Responsive Website Design (RWD), first suggested this approach was the way forward.

What is responsive website design and what are the advantages?

Basically, RWD combines flexible widths, flexible images and media queries. These three were all available on their own, but Marcotte discovered a way to combine and use these concepts together. This means the same website can be seen on any screen, as it adapts to the device the user is viewing the site on, no matter how small or large it is. The advantages of having PC and mobile websites that are the same include:

  • Data is collected from all sources providing more accurate information about users and views. This information can be vital in ensuring the right people are targeted in marketing strategies.
  • An improved user experience, which means viewers are more likely to use the website. Nothing puts viewers off staying on a site quicker than one that proves difficult to use.
  • Well over half of all internet traffic is through mobile devices, with RWD you can expect to see an increase in the amount of traffic you get.
  • Simpler website design, as when RWD is used one size fits all.
  • Easier maintenance. When something needs to be changed it will automatically be done in all formats so there is far less chance of differences and errors between different devices.
  • Better search engine rankings. Search engines are getting smarter all the time, but if you have a PC website and a mobile website that are not connected, they will count them as two different sites, which could mean lower rankings for both.
  • A lower bounce rate is achieved by websites designed using RWD.
  • Better backlinks. Backlinks are an important part of SEO because they show the search engines that other people consider your website to be a valuable source of information. Without RWD, other websites will be less inclined to link to you.
  • Responsive websites tend to load faster,which is a crucial consideration when designing the user experience.
  • Sites using RWD tend to get more conversions because of the better user experience.
  • SEO becomes much simpler to manage with RWD.
  • Social sharing increases because it’s so much less time consuming on a mobile device. If at the press of a button, users can share a site with their friends and family, they are far more likely to do so.

Why are mobile websites so important?

More than 4.5 billion people worldwide use the internet, and over 60% of that use is through mobile devices. Many people make the mistake of thinking only youngsters use mobiles, but research has shown that 73% of pensioners use them too, as well as large percentages of all other age groups. This means there is a huge audience out there that do everything on their smartphone or tablet. They buy groceries, clothes, and electronics online, manage their money, play games, watch movies or listen to music, and of course, interact with other people through social media and messaging platforms such as Whatsapp, Messenger, Facebook, Instagram or one of the many other ways of social interaction.

It has been suggested the traditional type of PC will disappear over time and all devices will be mobile, either as a tablet, laptop or smartphone. Even now, businesses that ignore mobile websites and don’t use responsive website design could be losing out significantly, but if that does happen, they could lose their business altogether.

Mobile websites are an effective way of reaching the people you are targeting, but you need to consider the other necessary parts of making it a successful marketing tool, such as:

  • Regular security updates to ensure the risk viruses and cyber-attacks are minimised.
  • Keeping the content up to date, relevant, and interesting or you will soon lose the interest of prospective customers.
  • Website hosting that is reliable and fast.

These are just a few samples of the items that a professional website design company will deal with on your behalf, always ensuring that you get the maximum responses from your mobile websites.

There is one huge advantage to mobile websites. They are not confined to business hours.They are on show 24 hours a day, ensuring your customers always have access to the services, information, and products they require. You need to know that if someone searches something in the middle of the night, they will get the sameresponses as they do in the middle of the day.

Affordable responsive web design by professionals

Mobile websites do not need to break the bank. They can be very affordable and will give a great return on investment when handled properly. Therefore, a serious business should shy away from the free or really cheap offers of building your own site. You need to know that any mobile websites that belong to you will produce the desired effect, and it’s why you should get in touch with the experts to ensure that this happens. Get in touch with Juvo to discover how we can help take your digital presence and brand to the next level. Our years of experience helping Ireland’s businesses makes us the perfect partner for all your digital needs.

Want to have a chat about your project? Juvo specialises in web design, web development and content creation. All you have to do is send us a message or call (+353) 1 525 2534 to talk with us today.

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