TimothyW

I am at a disadvantage. I don't even OWN a smartphone at this point.

My question is, IS there a problem with viewing regular sites on mobile phones or not????

Main requirement before selling something -- prospects must already be aware of the "problem."

If regular sites are "JUST FINE" ("where's the problem?, I don't get it") when viewed on a phone, then what's the need for these over-simplified "mobile sites?"

How "obvious" is the "problem" to the average offline biz?

I really need to know before I go out there + sell this stuff.

Thanks!

bonn

Great question --- here is an excerpt from our current WSO that is a guide to actually closing mobile website sales to small businesses and free access to our mobile site builder --- we go over this excact question in the guide

Mobile Versions of Desktop Websites
Most small businesses do not have mobile optimized websites. Here is a list of aspects that make sites not optimized for mobile devices:

• Flash Websites – Most mobile phones do not support Flash, and they tend to be very large, bulky, slow loading websites –not good for mobile phones on cell data networks

• Large, High Quality Media Websites – Websites with high resolution pictures, like art websites and night clubs are extremely slow loading on mobile phone cell data networks.

• Multi-Pageload Style Websites – What we will call “deep” websites with many sub-pages are incredibly difficult to navigate on mobile phones. Primarily because they require the user go through multiple long page loads just to get to the content their looking for.

• Auto Generated Mobile Websites – A lot of popular blog platforms like Wordpress and Drupal have evolved to automatically mobilize the site. These tools are not efficient, and are primarily focused on mobilizing Blogs, not websites of small businesses.


Not to mention touch interface design --- mobile sites are designed to interacted with by touch --- the clumsy large padded finger tips of humans --- not highly precise mouse pointers on massive 1280 x 1024 monitor resolutions. Mobile sites are perfect for that --- i.e. GoMo Mobile Site Builder and Creator Platform - GoMobile Innovations Mobile sites, landing pages, qr code sites and content management system. -- see those are very touch friendly with big buttons for people to interact with.

Also - -- click to call, email, sms, maps, and social are very integrated with the apps installed on phones. click a map destination -- it launches google maps on the phone... not the case (usually) with non mobile sites. etc.

ryanpadilla

One of the biggest problems is that there are actually cell phones out there that don't have a zoom in zoom out feature on them, and a lot of the time those are the phones with the smaller screens.

Business need a mobile site. They need mobile sites because it is going to make it easier to see the website that's custom made to fit the screen. If you have a mobile site people will not have to spend the extra time to zoom in zoom out scroll around the site and try to find anything because the information is made custom to fit the screen of course. I've been to several sites on my phone and will stop looking on them because the information is too hard to see, the load time is slow, and it is just not worth my time.

A mobile site doubles the amount of time that a person visits the site on average.

The load time on a standard site is slower on most if not all phones. Flash websites don't show up on most phones.

There are many more reasons but here is a few I find important and that my clients find important when i share it with them.

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TimothyW

I have a friend/client who excitedly said, "Hey! Here's my site (showing it to me on his phone) -- Look, it's all right here!" Then I looked + saw an EXTREMELY MINITURIZED version (view) of his site -- with like 2 pt type (illegible). Sure you COULD scroll around, then enlarge what you were looking at, IF (and it's a big if) you ALREADY know where you're scrolling around to and what you want to expand.

In other words, it seemed "fine" to HIM, cuz he already KNOWS his site. It's like putting on a blindfold, then walking into your OWN HOUSE, then saying, "See, all my furniture is here (I don't see what's the problem) -- Here's my couch (feeling around to find the couch), here's my recliner, here's my kitchen (feeling around to find that). It's all right here, just like it's supposed to be -- so what's the problem?!?!"

What they don't realize is, someone who does NOT know the house + wears a blindfold, will NOT have a pleasant experience + will just exit after 90-seconds.

The few times I HAVE been on a smartphone looking at sites, I have found it EXTREMELY frustrating. Yes, it is being "on the web," but, in terms of ease of navigation, it's sooo frustrating, it's not even worth trying.

So, *I* see why mobile sites are needed --- but if I have to TWIST THE ARMS of potential clients to make THEM see there's a problem, then it's not worth it.

It has to be that viewing "regular" sites on a phone is OBVIOUSLY total bullcrap.

So far, my experience has been that the problem is NOT obvious to people. To them, everything seems "just fine."

What attitude(s) do you encounter??

mjbmedia

If business owners really think that making their prospects or clients squint to read content , use fingernails to pick a menu link, make them multi click to see something they want instant access to because on the PC site the info is buried three pages deep, then tell them to get out of business cos with that attitude they wont be in it much longer, move on to someone who thinks about their clients and the end user and not their precious bank balance.

And thats without going into the different content ideally required for mobile users compared to PC users, that having a proper mobile site opens up all the other mobile marketing strategies and future development potential, but no they must save their $500 and wait to have to play catch up with their competitors (again!!)

Mike

Calskinator

It's not necessary unless you want to quickly direct your user's focus to, say, your most relevant content.

For example I run a site with 35,000 PDF pages of documents - and information, in a research database. But I also have a blog. Mobile users aren't going to want to download the PDF files, so a mobile version of my site can give the user quick access to what they are most likely wanting to look at on their mobile device - photos, and my articles. I just optimized the navigation for the mobile user.

I have other sites I don't need to do that with... but it's a personal choice. Can you enhance the user experience with a mobile layout? Can you get the mobile user the info they want faster by giving them a vertical nav menu of just 5 main links... instead of making them pinch the screen to find where they want to go, taking more time out of their day?

It's all individual... I don't think there is a definitive answer. It's definitely not needed for all sites!

midasman09

Hey Tim! Yup...your potential "Mobile Site" clients ARE RIGHT!

There's NO REASON why they should spend any TIME with you....let alone any MONEY....discussing a "Mobile Website" to HELP people FIND THEM and EASILY SEE....THEIR website on "Hand-Held" devices!

Yup! These biz owners are a waste of time.

Let them go and do NOT look back! There are TOO MANY OTHER biz owners who KNOW that "Mobile" is where it's at.

Don Alm

DennisMc

When you're getting older like me, it's hard to read the fine sized print on a non-mobile website. I wonder if this is another reason for age discrimination....LOL :rolleyes:

rlhurst

Don't twist their arms..... SHOW them the difference between their "regular" site and a mobile "optimized" site, either on a phone, or send them a link to a phone emulator with the mobile site on there. If after seeing the difference, they still don't see a need, then move on to the next person, who just may.

I did this with a realtor who had a qr code on a for sale sign. The code led to the "regular" site. I created a mobile version and walked into the office. Told them I scanned the code but the site was real small (showed them on my phone). She took the phone from me and said "all you have to do is spread the screen with your fingers to enlarge". I then asked her if she thought "this site" was better.. (the mobile one I designed). You should have seen her reaction! I love that moment ( watch their face when they are looking at the screen).

So, bottom line...... SHOW, don't tell.