Three reasons why mobile sites are important

1. Mobile-friendly sites positively impact consumer attitudes

Mobile consumers use their devices frequently and purposefully, with high expectations of the mobile sites they visit. A positive mobile experience can drive significant revenue for a business. 51% of consumers are more likely to purchase from retailers that have a mobile-friendly website.

On the other hand, a negative mobile website experience can be quite costly. 19% of mobile users will form a negative overall perception of a company if they are dissatisfied with the mobile experience.4 Consumers don’t like pinching and zooming their way through a mobile site, trying to locate business information. It’s a frustrating experience that drives customers away. In fact, nearly 2 in 3 users are unlikely to return to a mobile site with which they had trouble and 40% of consumers said they’d visit a competitor’s mobile site instead.

By building a mobile-friendly website, businesses will not only increase revenue with current customers, but also capture customers who are dissatisfied with competitor websites.

2. Mobile usage is exploding, it’s time to prepare

For the past decade, we’ve heard about mobile: how it is changing the way we interact with one another and with our customers. In reality, usage of the mobile web had not fully materialized – until now. Consider this: 30% of all Google search queries for restaurants come from mobile.

Mobile growth isn’t expected to stop. By 2015, more Americans will access the web via mobile than desktop.7 Smartphones have become an extension of people’s daily lives. They are omnipresent in pockets and purses, and consumers use them everywhere and at anytime. Google comissioned data shows, 87% of smartphone consumers use their smartphone whileon-the-go, or while commuting and walking.

But mobile phones are no longer just for folks on the go – 93% of consumers use their smartphones at home. With a mobile-friendly site businesses can take advantage of these new consumer habits, reaching potential customers wherever they are throughout the day. Just as consumers use their devices in a number of places, theyalso use them while engaged in a number of activities. Why? Smartphone users are also multi-taskers.

For those who don’t want to waste a minute of their day, smartphones enable them to be productive and connected at all times. While shopping, for instance, customers can read product reviews and locate nearby stores. As consumers evolve, it’s important for businesses to effectively use the mobile web to engage customers – wherever they are, whatever they’re doing.

3. Consumers take immediate action on mobile-friendly sites

With the click-to-call feature, a “clickable” phone number enables customers to quickly reach a business with just one touch. For mobile-friendly websites, nearly 1 in 5 visits to a small business site leads to an immediate call to the business, with some industries seeing very high click-to-call rates – pizzerias (32%), car services (27.8%) and auto repair services (22.3%).

By including our mobile-specific features such as click-to-call, maps and directions, businesses can drive immediate in-store sales from consumers ready to purchase. Providing customers with a mobile-friendly website makes it very easy for consumers to contact you and get to your business – fast. Consumers are hungry for this information. In fact, data shows the average click rate that consumers access maps anddirections on mobile optimized sites is very high.

Now ask yourself: how can I use mobile’s unique features to drive customers to my business? Start thinking and contact us today.