A Mobile World Wide Web
More and more people check websites and do research on mobile devices. This may surprise you, but think about how you use technology and traditional media. When was the last time you used a phone book? It’s been a while I’m sure. What about looking for a place to eat or find a special product at a nearby store? You probably pull out your smartphone and either Google a keyword or use an app like Around Me to find your next destination.
This trend is only going to increase as technology becomes more accessible and more part of our everyday culture. Even at my house, I surf the web on my iPad instead of my laptop because it’s easier. I only use my laptop for designing and doing my taxes every year.
Where am I getting with all this? People are on the go and your company needs to consider a mobile website. What is a mobile website anyway? It’s a slimmed down version of your website that downloads faster and has the vital info up front. For a restaurant, it has the location, hours, menu, and maybe a few specials as well as links to the full website, social media, and review websites.(We normally use Kodeless for our mobile websites.)
For the A/E/C (Architecture/Engineering/Construction) industry, this is probably not a vital need, YET. B-2-C companies definitely need to look into this now and one of the key indicators is a simple review of your websites statistics. We use Google Analytics where it shows the operating system (look for iOS for Apple’s iPhone & iPad) and even monitor resolution (it will be obvious when you see the iPhone’s 320 x 480 resolution mixed with numbers well over 1000 for screens 15″ and up).
It may be more likely for architect’s prospects to be searching their smart phone or tablet for an architect while waiting at the airport or between meetings. Construction companies still need to check their analytics too and see where your customers & potential customers are coming from. Especially if you have a niche or specialized service/product, the mobile website may be needed if prospects are looking for you while in a jam on the construction site.
Make it easy for them to contact you.