A couple weeks ago we had a guest blog post on why your company needs a mobile website. We all know that mobile search is on the rise. People can't seem to get their heads out from their smart phone devices. In fact, according to Google Analytics, most of our clients are seeing anywhere from 20% to almost 50% of their site traffic come from mobile devices.

This is a game-changer.

Site users act very differently on their mobile devices than they do on a standard laptop of desktop computer. By creating a stellar mobile user-experience - filled with quality content and marked by effective responsive design, you can turn your website into a money-making machine.

Designers may take some offense to the next statement, but I'm going to say it anyways.  Content - in the case of mobile sites- is far more important than a pretty design. People are on their phones because it is convenient. Perhaps they want to search for the closest coffee shop, or maybe they want to book a hotel. Whichever it is, they are doing it while they, in fact, are mobile. Therefore, simple and strategic content that incorporates easy-to-follow funnels for the user are the most crucial elements for designing effective mobile websites.

Give users the content they want.

Check Analytics

Take a look at your current analytics for your own business website. In Google Analytics, they make it pretty easy for you to tap into the data regarding mobile site traffic.  Then, analyze how those users are viewing and interacting with your website on their small-screened devices. Where do they end up? Where are they dropping off?

If you are a restaurant business, and most of your mobile device users end up on the page that has a form for take-out orders, for example, you need to make that page extremely visible on the homepage of the mobile website. The key is to get them to the good stuff faster.

Alright so that was pretty obvious. What are some other elements your business' mobile website should tap into?

Unique Functionality

Many mobile devices have unique functionality - like touch screen capabilities, GPS and more. It's important to integrate these elements into designing the experience. In the case of a restaurant business, for example, the GPS capability of smart phones can detect a restaurant as within range of a specific user. Improve the user experience for a user searching for take-out in your area by implementing functionality that simplifies the ordering process. If you're a pizza joint, create a specific form that includes your standard meals as well as a field on that form that allows users to customize their orders. Anticipate mistakes. If your site user is in a rush, (s)he may forget that (s)he actually wanted to hold the cheese on the last order. Include a Contact-Us button on the landing page after a user submits an order to simplify damage control. Because nothing ruins a night quite like a take-out order blunder, right? Right.

Responsive to User's Needs

As you can see, responsive web design for mobile devices, tablets, and other devices needs to be just that - responsive. It is imperative that it is responsive to the user's needs. Don't skip out on great content within your standard business website. Instead, prioritize the content that users are searching for using their phones, and implement that information while designing a unique user experience for smaller and  condensed screens.

People simply won't use your standard site the same way they will use your site on a portable, small screen. Anticipate this, look at the data, and create a responsive web design strategy accordingly.