As mobile devices advance and become a bigger part of everyday life, we get clients who ask when does my business need a mobile version of the website?
Well…
Over the past few years mobile and tablet devices have become so easy to use. They have forced users to use them instead of using a desktop or a laptop. This evolution has seen an increase in mobile traffic.
So what mobile traffic increase have we seen?
To show the increase we have taken a snapshot of traffic to show impact that mobile traffic has had over the last 12 months.
Here are the specific figures relating the graph. Please note the percentage increase for mobile influence.
This snapshot is taken from a number of different industries with a wide range of products and services.
On a whole mobile traffic has increased to over double in the last 12 months.
We need to remember that the retail, food, beverage and accommodation industry will receive a higher volume of mobile traffic than delivery service industries such as Amazon.
From this we can see that the demand, for a mobile friendly version of any website has increased month on month.
Conclusion
It is very hard to give a definitive point in time when a mobile website may be needed. The demand can be anything from increase traffic or a demand from a mobile app.
Ultimately it is up to the business to decide whether they feel they need a mobile friendly website.
However as the above shows the the increase in demand for internet use through mobile devices over the last 12 months means that it is only a matter of time before a mobile version of a website is needed within all industries.
Prediction
I thought I would put a small prediction out about when, I believe a business will not be able to ignore the need for a mobile website.
This prediction goes off the change in the tablet devices world. At present Apple has a great market share. However with the release of Google’s very affordable (starting from £150) Nexus 7. I cannot see that Apple can keep the price of an iPad as high as it is. Also with the rumours that Apple are bringing a mini iPad out for the end of the year. I can see a price war being generated to compete against other tablet devices in the market.
From this I would say that in the last half of 2013 we will see mobile traffic take up 50% of whatever desktop traffic you receive.
If you dont believe me take a look at the figure again,
Initially in April 2011 we saw mobile traffic control 8% of whatever desktop traffic received. Now mobile traffic takes up 23% of whatever traffic that desktop used to have.
From these figures if your not convinced that you eventually will need a mobile website. I dont think you ever will be.