It has long been believed that the days of the PC are numbered; their sales have now started to decline for the first time since 2001. Whilst this could partly be due to the credit crunch, the most likely reason is simply because people are using more mobile technology, which is becoming cheaper and more powerful every day.
In 2013 there were an estimated 285 million tablets sold, and with smartphones passing the 1 billion mark, it is no wonder that many people believe laptop computers are now becoming redundant. Digital analytics company comScore, has estimated that by 2014 the mobile web will overtake the desktop Internet.
All this can only lead one way for businesses; websites need to be built for all devices, creating a seamless cross-platform online experience for all users. It is vital that websites are designed with a focus on creating the right experience for smartphone users first, scaling up to tablet devices, and finally desktop.
With all the technology available to users, it is unbelievable that 80% of businesses focus their attention on the desktop experience, ignoring all mobile devices. However, users are increasingly becoming frustrated with viewing mobile sites that require zooming in and out, or scrolling from side to side to view website content. A recent study from Google found that 67% of people are more likely to buy a product or use a service if a website is more mobile-friendly; and even more importantly, 46% of mobile web users are unlikely to return to a website they had trouble accessing from their phone and even more are unlikely to recommend the site to others.
There is an option out there for businesses which care about their customer’s online experience. Responsive websites. These are websites that change their appearance and layout based on the size of the device, this makes the text and images easier to read on smaller devices.
Alternatively, you can leave the website as a desktop focused version and risk missing out on traffic or creating a negative user experience for your customers never to return to…