IT'S TIME TO GO MOBILE

For the first time, mobile online shopping has overtaken desktop. Figures for April to June 14 show 52% of traffic to retail websites came from smartphones and tablets.

The IMRG Capgemini Quarterly Benchmarking Report also reveals that 36% of online sales are now made via a mobile device. Tina Spooner, chief information officer at IMRG, said: “Considering that as recently as 2010 mobile visits to e-retail sites accounted for less than 3% of traffic, this latest milestone represents staggering growth of 2,000% over the past 4 years.”

So what is the best way to cater for your mobile visitors? We recommend using mobile-friendly, responsive design. The layout adapts to the visitor’s screen size, ensuring they see your site as you want them to, whatever the device. Plus, unlike having a separate mobile website, you only have one site to maintain.

5 things to consider when planning a responsive website:

* Adapt the navigation for touchscreen users - easy to select buttons and links.

* Identify the essential content – what information is most important to your mobile visitors?

* Make your message clear - rethink your text.

* Simplify the layout and functionality; turn off features which won’t be used on a smartphone.

* Reduce images – make your site faster to load and free up screen space.

Responsive design helps you to future-proof your website by allowing it to transform from one screen size to another. You want your site to look good on any platform, whether a desktop PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone, and you don’t want any visitors to miss vital information.

Having a mobile-friendly website is becoming an essential part of any business and you’ll be amazed at what is achievable on a small screen.