Frequently Asked Questions About
Mobile Friendly Websites
PLEASE NOTE: This page was created in 2014 when standalone mobile websites (separate versions to desktop sites) were much more common. Today these have really been replaced by Responsive Websites that are designed to adapt to all different screen sizes.
Here is a list of some of the most Frequently Asked Questions about mobile websites
You might also find some of the videos on my Customology Youtube Channel useful and informative.
Please either watch the FAQ’s video, or read the answers to the questions below.
If you have any questions I haven’t answered here, please do get in touch on 07773 430921 or via email at enquiries@customology.co.uk
My website already appears on my phone, so don’t I already have a Mobile Website?
This is a common misunderstanding and the answer is almost certainly not. Usually a regular website appears as a very small version of itself when displayed on a mobile phone. Sometimes images and graphics might be missing and in the very worst cases the website might not display at all.
With a fully optimised mobile website you can access the pages and content easily with just a simple vertical scroll – and without any need for pinching and zooming to make the text bigger, or to find your way around.
Studies show that current mobile web-users rate their experiences as poor and frustrating when it comes to viewing and navigating regular websites on mobile phones. Websites that have not been optimized for mobile viewing negatively impact the visitor’s ability to find the information they want.
Not surprisingly people will very quickly lose patience with websites that give a difficult and frustrating experience – and will click away. Perhaps you’ve had similar experiences on websites yourself?
What exactly is a Mobile Website - and how does it differ from a regular website?
A mobile website is a totally separate version of your website and runs side-by-side with your regular site. It is created and optimised, not only for smaller screen sizes, but also for the specific needs and motivations of the mobile internet searcher.
The mobile searcher is more likely to be making a “buying decision” and is much more likely to take immediate action on a mobile website – IF they find the information they are looking for quickly and easily. So it’s essential to have prominent “call to action” buttons throughout, guiding and making it really easy for them to contact you when they find what they’re looking for on your site.
(If you haven’t already, check out the examples on our Mobile Websites Case Studies page to get a better idea)
Does the Mobile Website replace my existing website?
No. As we saw above, a mobile version of your website is a completely separate version which runs side-by-side with your regular site. With a simple but very clever line of extra coding, your website will be able to detect whether your visitor is coming from a PC / laptop, or a mobile phone. Then it will automatically direct them to the right version to give them the very best visitor experience.
Are your Mobile Websites compatible with all different phones types?
Yes, certainly all the major phone types – iphone, Android, Windows phones and all but the very oldest Blackberry devices.
What is the difference between a Mobile Website and a Mobile App?
Mobile apps can be great for some busy businesses and include some interesting features, such as geo-sat technology and push notifications to market to customers. The downside is the customer has to take the decision, and the action, to download the app and install it on to their mobile device.
A mobile website is a mobile-friendly version of your regular site. The mobile site will have large, easy to click, “thumb friendly” buttons, and content that is formatted to fit correctly on a mobile screen. Everyone searching for your business website on their mobile phone will automatically be directed to the mobile version.
If you are searching for a local business, product, or service, which would you go to first – the app store or Google? Even most app creators will admit businesses would do best to have a mobile website before an app.
What are the real benefits of having a mobile version of my website for my business?
Well, the benefits are fully outlined on our home page here on this site about Making Websites Mobile Friendly, but we like to think it’s all about good old fashioned customer service.
One half of all Internet searches for LOCAL products and services are performed from mobile devices. The mobile searcher is more likely to be making a “buying decision” – and is much more likely to take immediate action on a mobile website if they find the information they are looking for quickly and easily
Now customer service starts before people get to your business and if you make it easy for people to do business with you they are far more likely to do so.
Are mobile websites necessary for all types of business at this time?
This is a great question – and you might be surprised by my answer. No, for certain types of business they may not actually be necessary at this time.
The types of businesses most likely to experience an immediate uplift – and almost certainly doing themselves a huge disservice from not having a Mobile Website – are businesses such as restaurants, hair and beauty salons, boutiques and specialist retailers, locksmiths, gyms, car dealers, recruitment companies, golf clubs and estate agents. To name but a few.
But even if you’re not one of the types of businesses mentioned above, there is a quick and simple check you can do to see if you are potentially losing customers right now from not having a mobile friendly website.
How much does a mobile website cost to create?
The starting cost for a Mobile Website with up to 6 – 8 pages is just £300. There is an additional cost of £77 for the whole of the first year’s hosting. I would expect this to be the price for 70 – 80% of all Mobile Websites I create.
Websites that have more pages, lengthy PDF menus and that are more difficult to convert (particularly those made in ‘Flash’) may be more expensive, but the total cost will be always be fully transparent and agreed upfront.
Are there any extra costs involved?
In the vast majority of cases the answer is no, not within the first year.
At the end of the first year a small monthly maintenance fee will become payable to cover ongoing hosting, maintenance and updates about your site.
There is NO contract and you can cancel your mobile website at any time. I genuinely believe you will be able to see that the real value and benefit to your business is many, MANY times this amount.
The only occasion where there might be additional costs would be if there were frequent updates to the mobile site and they were not able to be automatically updated. This will be highlighted BEFORE the Mobile Website goes live if it is an issue.
To find out more about what a mobile version of your website could do for your business, OR to get your question about mobile websites answered, please Contact Me on 07773 430921 or by email on…. enquiries@customology.co.uk