It is becoming very obvious: mobile is the new way for users to search and navigate the web and also buy online. This means that website owners have to rethink how they present their site to mobile users.
According to a report from Javelin Strategy and Research, consumers spent $20.7 billion shopping using mobile devices in 2011. The numbers are growing exponentially.
Mobile Ads are also exploding:  “Mobile advertising grew 95% from the first half of 2011 to the same period in 2012″ (Pricewaterhouse Coopers) whiles Newspaper, Radio and Magazine ads are on a sharp decline only TV ads can keep a slightly positive upward trend.

Today you see people sitting in front of the TV with their Laptop, iPad and mobile phone. They are firing on all cylinders and the smaller and handier the device the better. The new iPhone 5 is just  one example of the incredible development these technological wonders are going thru: Depth: 0.30 inch (7.6 mm), Weight: 3.95 ounces (112 grams). Wow I had one in my hand lately – amazing.

So, mobile is happening and its big: on the streets, in shops and restaurants and at home.
How are your business website and your social media efforts holding up? You see: the user gets more lazy by the minute. Can you remember how cool it was to surf the web with the 1st generation iPhone. It was fun to zoom (pinch with 2 fingers) to scroll and browse websites on something in the palm of your hand. Nowadays it is a nuisance! We do not want to scroll and definitely not zoom to read and see the contents of a website on our mobile machines. We see the results in dismal statistics: Abandon rates of websites when visited from laptops, larger screen and stationary computers hover at around 35%. When visiting from a mobile platform the number of visitors that leave a website not optimized for them is around 65%. Can you imagine how much business is lost due to this.

What does this mean for your web presence? Guess what: another website. Yes, you heard correct there really is no other way. A new MOBILE FRIENDLY site is needed.
Browser technology has progressed to a point where each different device can be recognized and the adjusted content can be delivered. Whether you browse via Android, iPhone, tablet or regular PC the correct version will be dished out by the browser so the surfer can enjoy the content optimized for the used device.

CMS (Content Management Sytems) should have a mobile possibility. So basically a second site has to be created with the mobile version of the CMS.
If you are working with a web designer, ask them about their abilities. Be careful, developing a mobile friendly  site is drastically different from a “standard” one and the programer has to be capable to dish out an adequate product.
On a last note remember that  thumbs and fingers are a different input tool than mice. Not only does the design have to adapt to the dimensions of all the different devices out there but also the usability has to be “finger” friendly. In the geek world this is called GUI (Graphical User Interface). Be sure to ask the developer what differences the standard and the mobile site have in this respect.

My take: get a MOBIEL FRIENDLY site. It will pay off!!!

Examples: www.insidepinehurst.com and its mobile counterpart: m.insidepinehurst.com