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Posts tagged small business mobile
4 Reasons Why Small Businesses Should Be Thinking “Mobile First”
Jul 26th
A mostly mobile world has become inevitable.
Mobile search and activity will surpass desktop usage in the very near future, and 66% of users simply won’t return to a website if it gives them trouble on their mobile device. For these reasons, it has become critical for businesses to implement appropriate mobile strategies.
But simple implementation has already become the norm! Now, in order to truly maximize the opportunities present, prepare for future changes, and earn a competitive advantage, small businesses would be well advised to be thinking “mobile first.” That is, not just reluctant publication of an app or mobile site, but enthusiastic embracing of mobile technology into core operations.
Here’s why:
1. It will focus you
Mobile leaves very little room for fluff. In the process of designing your mobile website and app, writing short notifications and offers, and participating in short-length social media, you will focus on what matters most to your business. Your most important offerings will naturally be front-and-center in your thinking, and unimportant distractions will fade.
2. You can make mistakes while it is still relatively early
It’s no longer correct to say that mobile is in an “early” stage of development, but it is still relatively early in terms of total cultural and industry saturation. There is still time to experiment, make mistakes, and correct them. Soon, this window will be closing, and users will have no tolerance for mobile experiences that are not totally polished.
The analogous experience would be to go to an outdated website. Now that beautiful websites have become the norm, are you still able to take a business seriously if the website doesn’t look professional? Many consumers are not.
Mobile will soon be the same way, if it isn’t already.
3. It can boost innovation
Testing out new business strategies will open up your thinking and invigorate your business. Many things are possible with mobile technology, and by getting into the game, you may find new ways to connect with customers, improve your offerings, and increase revenue. In a way, a mobile first approach can help your business stay “young” in its attitude toward community interaction.
4. You can get ahead of the competition
Mobile strategies are a must, but many small business owners still lag behind. By taking charge and adopting a mobile first approach, you can gain a significant edge over your competition. Since users are clamoring for mobile interaction, they will favor the business that gives it to them. Be the first mover, and you can get a big jump on the competition.
By the time competitors decide to participate, you’ll already be miles ahead.
The Mobile Web Shifts Into the Next Gear
May 8th
Can you remember your first mobile web experience?
That is, the first time you tried to launch a browser on a mobile device? As you stared at a blank screen, and watched a progress bar slowly tick its way forward, only to be stopped about halfway across, your impression was probably something like this:
“This is it? Really? … This is slow!”
Things have changed a lot since then.
While mobile devices still lag behind their desktop counterparts, they are certainly useful for some limited web browsing. And when connected to a Wi-Fi router, many devices operate at speeds that are totally satisfying.
If your mobile browsing experiences have been getting better and better, we’re happy to confirm that, no, you weren’t imagining things. The mobile web is actually about 30% faster than it was last year, according to a recent report from Google.
More specifically, mobile page load times are 30% faster. About a third of pages load in 1-3 seconds, and about another third load in 3-7 seconds. That is, almost three-quarters of mobile web page openings were fully loaded in less than 7 seconds.
We know, we know. “7 seconds!? Who has that kind of time!?” Relax. The industry players are working on solutions from a number of angles. In fact, Google, identifies at least four areas of improvement that are contributing to the speed increases:
1. Core telecom infrastructure improvements,
2. Faster browsers,
3. Increased LTE/4G deployments for mobile networks, and
4. Mobile device processing power improvements
So the mobile web is significantly faster, compared to just last year, and is light-years ahead of where we were beyond that. In addition, the improvements have come to many countries around the world, not just the U.S., so many hotspots around the globe are speeding up.
Soon enough, all of our mobile devices will support web browsing that is too fast to complain about.
