In 2014, the use of tablets in Northern Ireland increased by 10%, to 55% from 2013 and according to mobiforge, 55% of all time spent on retail sites takes place on a mobile device.
This shift in device demonstrates that there is a requirement for mostly all websites to be accessible from mobile platforms in order to meet the needs of the consumer. This doesn't mean your website has to be started from scratch, but chances are, if your website is new (built less than 2 years ago) it should be responsive, and if not, it could be time for a refresh.
How do the top retail websites approach mobile we hear you say?
Well, there's a lot of controversy about the use of the m.website.co.uk for accessing a mobile platform with many sceptics saying it's really not necessary to have two separate URLs to access one website and it could be harmful and potentially even dilute your search results.
Whatever your opinion is on the mobile.website.co.uk, we think the best way to approach your mobile website is to use the Adaptive Delivery, which means the HTML will be altered for the device on which you're accessing the site. This is also known as 'Server Side Detection' which means the server can detect what kind of device you're using and pushes back the best website for your device.
The most popular retail websites tend to use this server side detection for their consumers including Amazon, eBay, BestBuy and Etsy.
If Google is advocating this practice then it's most likely the search robots prefer this type of website and this will stand in good stead for you being returned more highly in search results – have a read of this article.
Simply put, if you're thinking of a new website, currently in the midst of a redesign or need to start from scratch, you need to have a responsive website to cater for the masses who are ditching the PC's and laptops and taking to their tablets and mobile phones to research retail websites.
If you're not too sure where to start or just need a bit of advice on anything mobile related, our expert digital team would love to give you a hand! Check out our profile on LinkedIn or give us a call…
