2012 was a big year for mobile, but this year is going to be massive. 2013 will see the arrival of 4G and the benefit this brings for mobile sites is huge. More data and faster and fewer limits means the multimedia website will soon come to life on your mobile phone.

Just in case you’re still a little hesitant, what if I told you that there are over 9 million Smartphone users in Australia? Or that almost 50% of those users are between the ages of 24 and 44? Or that the 3 most common Smartphone uses are to browse the internet, email and Google search? Allow me to continue.

There are currently three ways to provide for your mobile users online; a separate mobile site, responsive web sites and through apps. Let us guide you through the pros and cons of each and then make up your own mind. Strategy and Action build separate websites, responsive websites and apps for Apple, Android and Windows, so we can help you achieve any of these.

Separate Mobile Site
A lot of companies have chosen to have a separate mobile site for mobile offerings. This is often a minimalist version of their larger website with fewer visuals and in a smaller size to aid browsing speed.

Pros

• Better user experience as it’s specifically designed for mobile use
• No need to install or purchase apps to find site
• Created for fastest download speeds – perfect for anyone with a poor connection or data cap

Cons

• Businesses need to run two sites which can be costly to develop and maintain
• The two sites may affect SEO and confuse search engines
• As it is created to work on ALL mobile devices, it has difficulty adjusting and may not offer the best display on some devices

Responsive Websites
A responsive site removes the need to cater for two sites as the website adapts to the platform the page is viewed on. This allows for the best possible experience for all sites and means there is no requirement to run two or more sites.

Pros

• Cheaper than running two separate sites
• Optimized for all devices
• Duplication of content is not an issue as there is only one standard site

Cons

• Not all information is necessary on a mobile sight which users may find overwhelming
• Costly to implement and design, may need to be outsourced
• Page may be too large for some mobile devices which affects data and speeds

 

The App
The mobile app functions independently of a mobile site and can often be accessed offline. However, this is by far the most expensive choice. Apps are a convenient way for mobile users to access your information and also make it easier to drive traffic specifically to your site.

Pros

• Apps are made to work with specific devices so they provide the best possible experience
• They are a form of advertisement as they will appear in the ‘App Store’
• Many businesses find their apps are installed after customers unexpectedly find them

Cons

• Expensive to develop
• Need to be created for each specific operating system
• Some people won’t want to ‘clog’ up their phone with your app
• This means an additional mobile site is still necessary making this the more expensive way of reaching your customers