This document discusses mobile internet usage and design considerations for mobile websites. It notes that mobile internet usage has doubled since 2009, with many using mobile as their primary means of access. Some key recommendations provided include optimizing sites for mobile with lean and simple designs prioritizing functionality, ensuring quick loading times, and using tools like mobile analytics to understand user behavior on mobile. Examples of Amazon and Facebook are given as cases that effectively balance form and functionality for mobile.
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Mobile Internet Usage
Since 2009, the number of cell phone users who access the
internet via their phones has doubled from 31%.
Of those, 21% use their phones as their primary method of
accessing the internet.
Such mobile web usage is high among both young, tech
savvy users, and minorities. (75% of African American and
68% of Hispanic phone users.)
91% of Americans own a cell phone, and over half of those
phones are smart phones.
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Mobile Internet Growth
According to Bloomberg.com, global smartphone usage is
projected to reach 2 billion by 2015.
Mobile traffic has increased by 3.5% across all industries.
Local searches quadrupled in number in 2012 alone.
Desktop searches are projected to fall behind local mobile
searches for the first time in 2015, by approximately 1.9
billion.
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*Searches Lead to Action*
73% of mobile searches lead to follow-up action.
28% of mobile searches lead to conversions.
70% of mobile searches for specific services or products
result in sales.*
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Reasons to go Mobile
40% of searchers will move on to another result if a site is not
mobile friendly
46% of those say that they are likely not to revisit a site that
they cannot access via their mobile
34% of those would go to a competitor instead
Users are 24% more likely to “bounce” from a professional
services site that is not optimized for mobile
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Rethinking Design With
Mobile in Mind
Sites optimized for mobile are lean, mean, conversion
machines
They are designed with function over form, rather than the
opposite.
Such sites are user focused, prioritized, and easily navigable.
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Myspace Mobile
Myspace mobile is a simple design, and appears to be easy
to navigate.
The problem is that it does not render quickly and efficiently,
due to the number of graphics on the page.
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Outlook Mobile
Outlook is a great program, and an easy to use website, if
you’re using their desktop site.
Unfortunately, the buttons on the mobile site are quite small,
making for a frustrating experience for mobile users.
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Amazon.com
Amazon’s mobile site is the perfect marriage of
form and functionality.The navigation is simple,
the buttons are large enough for easy tapping,
and minimal graphics allow for quick page
rendering.
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Facebook Mobile
Facebook mobile is another great example of form meeting
functionality in a beautiful way.
Navigation, images, and information are all easily accessible
with a swipe or a tap.
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IfYou Build it,They Will Come
There is quite a bit of technology available to help make the
integration of a mobile site easier.
Among these is User Agent Detection and Mobile Analytics.
UAD automatically detects what type of device is being used
to access a website, so that that person can be directed to
either the desktop website, or the mobile site, accordingly.
Mobile Analytics tells you how often your site is accessed via
a mobile device, as well as what type of mobile devices are
used most often.
This allows you to optimize your site for the most used
devices.
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Designer Recommendations
Use Wix’s mobile site editor to pare down the site to make it
more mobile friendly.
Link the mobile site to the full site.
Integrate and utilize mobile analytics and UAD to help
increase visitor satisfaction, returns, and conversions.
Add fresh content often.
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References
10 Ways Mobile Sites Are Different from Desktop Web Sites.
(n.d.). :: UXmatters. Retrieved May 5, 2014, from
http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2011/03/10-ways-
mobile-sites-are-different-from-desktop-web-sites.php
50 Astonishing Mobile Search Statistics and WhyYou Should
Care. (n.d.). Vocus Blog. Retrieved May 5, 2014, from
http://www.vocus.com/blog/50-mobile-search-stats-and-
why-you-should-care/
7 Tips To MakeYour Web Site Mobile-friendly. (n.d.). SitePoint
7 Tips To MakeYourWeb Site Mobilefriendly Comments.
Retrieved May 5, 2014, from http://blogs.sitepoint.com/7-
tips-to-make-your-web-site-mobile-friendly/
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References Continued
Creative Bloq. (n.d.). net magazine. Retrieved May 5, 2014,
from http://www.netmagazine.com/features/mobile-first
Designing for the Mobile Web: Special Considerations. (n.d.).
:: UXmatters. Retrieved May 5, 2014, from
http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2011/01/designing-
for-the-mobile-web-special-considerations.php
Kelly, H. (1970, January 1). Study: U.S. mobile Web use has
doubled since 2009. CNN. Retrieved May 5, 2014, from
http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/16/tech/mobile/phone-
internet-usage/
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References Continued
Mobile Technology Fact Sheet. (n.d.). Pew Research Centers
Internet American Life Project RSS. Retrieved May 3, 2014,
from http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheets/mobile-
technology-fact-sheet/
Mobile Web Design: Best Practices - Six Revisions. (n.d.). Six
Revisions RSS. Retrieved May 5, 2014, from
http://sixrevisions.com/web-development/mobile-web-
design-best-practices/
Mobility. (n.d.). 'Mobility'. Retrieved May 5, 2014, from
http://blogs.keynote.com/mobility/page/2/
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Image Credit
Rhee, E. (n.d.). Add a "+" to your Outlook.com address for
instant aliases - CNET. CNET. Retrieved May 5, 2014, from
http://www.cnet.com/how-to/add-a-to-your-outlook-com-
address-for-instant-aliases/
What Amazon Can Teach Us About Mobile Website Design.
(n.d.). The Daily Egg. Retrieved May 5, 2014, from
http://blog.crazyegg.com/2012/01/30/amazon-mobile-website-
design/
Why Mobile Design Should Never Be an Afterthought. (n.d.).
Mashable. Retrieved May 5, 2014, from
http://mashable.com/2011/08/05/mobile-design-priority/
APA formatting by BibMe.org.