Should you go mobile?

It’s no secret that mobile device web browsing is becoming more than a trend globally and in Australia.According to American web analytics firm New Applications, mobile devices account for 5 per cent of global web browsing. In the US alone, the figure is 8.2 per cent. For melbourneit.com.au, we’ve seen mobile use grow by over 110% in a very short time. So why wouldn’t you develop a mobile version of your website to keep up with growing demands?

In a nutshell, the term “mobile web” refers to accessing the internet using a mobile device such as a smart-phone or tablet. It is important to differentiate the mobile web from mobile applications. The mobile web is delivered using open technologies like HTML, CSS and javascript, and will run on any Internet enabled mobile device. Mobile applications are developed for specific platforms like the iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Windows mobile, J2ME mobile, Symbian, iPad. A mobile application will only run on the device it is designed for.

With the IDC predicting there will be over 1 billion Internet enabled mobile devices by 2013, the mobile web is booming. And as it continues to grow, so too does the mobile user experience. This is where mobile websites come into the picture.

So why would you develop a mobile website rather than a mobile application?

By developing a mobile version of your website, you are ensuring that users visiting your site via a mobile device are viewing it as quickly and efficiently as possible. A major benefit of mobile-developed websites is speed; they have the ability to load extremely fast. They’re also better accustomed to mobile screens; meaning the site displays within the screen width, which limits the need for arduous scrolling.

This is important, since a mobile optimised design will attract more visitors to your site if they find it useful and very easy to access information. So think about it; why wouldn’t you want to go mobile? Mobile devices are the new standard and are an evolving part of the web’s future. They are clearly the way forward for the mobile user experience.

If you’re still keen to develop a mobile application, our recommendation is to first develop your mobile website and then once you understand what your users needs are, develop a well targeted mobile application.