Mobile Optimization - Yes, it's Important!

With ever increasing trends toward smart phone adoption, now more than ever, it's imperative to have a fully-functioning website tailored to mobile users. Rumor has it, 2012 will be a big year for mobile, and ignoring the trend could equate to missing out on a large chunk of potential customers. 

The opportunities in creating a mobile site for your brand are endless, but to support our hunch, here are a few eye-opening facts reported by Steve Olenski of Business 2 Community (according to a survey conducted by Brand Anywhere and Luth Research):

• Compared to last year, the number of people using their mobile phone/smartphone/tablet to visit a retailers website increased 177% on Cyber Monday. 
• 51% of consumers are more likely to purchase from retailers that have mobile-specific websites.
• Web retailers have the opportunity to increase consumer engagement by 85% with a mobile-specific website.

By offering customers a simple, mobile-friendly site that provides exceptional user experience and super-serves that audience, your brand is likely to stand out in the minds of your users. Here at Defero, we subscribe to best practices when it comes to creating mobile sites for our clients. Here are a few tips from our experts:

• Images should be sized appropriately for mobile devices. The larger the image, the slower the load time for a site, and the more data you're requiring your customer to use.
• Provide a simplified navigation with intuitive functionality so your user can find what they need within 2 clicks.
• Make links and buttons "thumb friendly" for easy navigation.

Increased mobile use is just one of the many trends we're keeping an eye on at Defero. Keep checking up with us for some more of our thoughts each week!