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This is a guest post by Christopher Wallace. He is the VP of Sales and Marketing for Amsterdam Printing, has more than 20 years experience in sales and marketing. He regularly contributes to Amsterdam Printing’s Marketing blog.

(Image: soevolve.com)

The desire for Internet to be in the palm of our hands is growing; more people than ever are using smart phones, iPods and other portable devices to check out favorite sites, download files and pretty much do the things that, not so long ago, would have taken place at a desktop computer. As people’s schedules get more hectic and demanding, many business owners have responded by ensuring that their mobile websites are accessible, user-friendly and just as efficient as their regular sites. If you own a small business, or work for yourself in a creative capacity, it’s smart to consider your mobile site’s design.

Why Make the Change?

We get it; you’re comfortable with the website you’ve had for ages and you’re wondering if implementing a mobile site is completely worth it. Well, here are the reasons you should take the migration to mobile seriously.

More and more people are going mobile
Smartphones aren’t just for high-powered business folk anymore; everyone, even your 11-year-old cousin, has one. In fact, smartphones have begun outselling personal computers! That means that you literally cannot afford to take a chance on someone missing your site by not making it mobile.

Lots of people search on the go
Let’s suppose you own a boutique of ladies’ clothing and you don’t have a mobile site. Think about how many women–your potential customers–are driving around town on Saturdays with iced coffee, looking for a place to buy a dress. They’re using their smart phones to determine where to shop, and your site needs to be available. Having a mobile site means that your business will appear on a search and potential clients will find you.

Mobile websites are easier than apps
People love apps, but developing an app is a much more complicated process than simply having a mobile site. For one thing, you have to develop an app for Apple, Android and BlackBerry markets. With a mobile site, potential clients can find you through a search engine like Google and not need to download anything that will require phone memory or wait time.

It’s only going to become more popular
Mobile sites are only going to gain momentum, so why shouldn’t you and your business find out what the fuss is about? Old technology doesn’t necessarily disappear completely, but it’s wise to understand new technology and make it work to your advantage.

Tips for Making your Site Mobile-Friendly

If you’ve been contemplating how your regular website needs updating, or a fresh look, why not implement a mobile site instead? Mobile sites are visited more and more frequently and it’s well worth your time to consider a mobile site as a new way to meet new clients. Below are a few tips to keep in mind when designing a mobile site.

Simplify your site as much as possible
Naturally, mobile sites are quite different from regular sites–or should be. If your regular site is already pretty minimal then you may not need to worry. But otherwise, be sure to pare down the graphics, menus, text and overall look of your mobile site. Make sure that everything is easy to navigate and read on a small screen; visitors to your site will feel frustrated if they can’t easily find what they’re looking for because your site is too complex for mobile use.

Limit the scrolling to one direction
On a mobile site, make it easier on clients by making sure they only have to scroll in one direction to read or find what they need. It’s aggravating to scroll both up and down and sideways in order to view a page on a touch screen.

Avoid pop-ups and windows if possible.
On a mobile site, it’s best to avoid pop-ups and extra windows, which can interfere with the browsing ease and experience on a phone.

Make sure navigation is easy
Nothing is worse than a bunch of barely-readable links to click with your finger on a mobile device. With that in mind, make sure that your mobile site allows easy navigation by making links larger, allowing space in between “clickable” areas and anything else that helps those who are viewing your page navigate it easily.

Don’t use too many images
We’ve been taught that images are great for marketing and that they entice users to your site. That’s all true, of course, but when it comes to mobile sites it is best to use few images–maybe even just your logo. After all, when viewing a mobile page, the point is to get the information necessary, not admire the page’s complex graphics.

Don’t forget to link the standard site to the mobile site
If your clients are navigating your site from something slightly more sophisticated, like a tablet, they may want to see your full site. Give them that option by linking it from the mobile version. This way, they’ll be able to choose what suits them best at that time.

Good luck, and remember that any successful business must keep up with the times. A mobile site will let your clients know that you’re reaching out to a modern audience.