ptg16476052576 LESSON 21: Designing for the Mobile Web
People Browse Differently on Mobile Phones
The first thing you should be aware of when considering designing for mobile devices is
that the way people browse the Web on mobile phones is very different from how they
browse the Web on their computers. They are more likely to know exactly what they are
looking for, and once they find it they will take action. Consumers use mobile to access
local information, stay up-to-date, buy products, and purchase music and video. If you
think about how you use your phone, that is probably true for you as well. I know that
it’s definitely true for me.
In a study from Google, it was found:
n Mobile users visited search engines, social networking, retail, and video sharing
sites.
n Nine out of ten smartphone searches ended with them either buying something or
visiting a business.
n Nearly 80% of smartphone consumers use their phones to help with shopping.
n More than 90% of all smartphone users have searched for local information.
n And after searching, most take action within one day.This study was done in 2011, but the numbers continue to rise. What you should consider
is that mobile customers are task oriented. They usually have come to your site for a spe-
cific purpose. And unlike desktop browsers, that task is often to buy something. If they
can’t make that task happen, they will quickly go elsewhere.
That means that your site needs to be optimized for mobile customers. You want to give
them what they want as quickly and painlessly as you can so they never feel the need to
go to some other site.
The only caveat to this is location. If your business runs out of a country where mobile
device usage is even more prevalent than it is in the United States, then you will have
even more need to create a site that works well on mobile. Ultimately, whether your site
is based in the United States, Australia, Africa, or somewhere else, mobile devices are
growing more and more popular, and your website will suffer if it doesn’t cater to them.