Every year, hundreds of millions of smartphones are sold. Internet access is available in almost everyone’s pocket. People perform billions of spontaneous searches every day. If you run a business, you need to have a great mobile website. It’ll help build your relationship with customers, increase your sales, answer questions and build your brand.

==> A Few Important Statistics

According to a study conducted by Google:

* Of anyone who owns a smartphone, 77% use its search functions.

* Almost 9 in 10 of those who conduct a search take some kind of action as a result of that search (including “liking” or buying).

* 53% actually buy something as a result of that search.

This isn’t the only study showing this kind of data. Study after study has shown that mobile users are buyers. People who take out their phone to look up a pizza shop are generally going to actually buy pizza.

If you’re not catering to the mobile crowd, you’re missing out on a lot of buying traffic.

==> Non-Mobile Sites Are Difficult to Navigate

One of the most important things business owners need to realize is how difficult it is to navigate a non-mobile site on a mobile device.

Try it. Visit a few websites in their web format. Buttons are hard to click because they’re small. Text is hard to read because the screen width is too long. Images take a long time to load.

All in all, it’s quite a painful and frustrating experience. People who stumble upon a website that only has a web version often end up leaving, simply because they can’t be bothered to put in the effort to view the site.

==> The ROI on a Mobile Website

As with making any kind of business decision, the most important consideration when all is said and done is the bottom line. Will building a mobile website actually make you more money?

The answer for almost any business is a resounding yes. Your customers need to be able to find you on mobile. They need to be able to view your site, to find your hours, to view your menu or to even be able to place an order.

Remember to also consider the negative ROI of not having a mobile site. How many people who might have otherwise bought decided to leave instead, simply because they couldn’t find the information they needed?

==> What It All Comes Down To

To sum things up, mobile websites are essential because more and more people are using smartphones. It’s become an inseparable part of many people’s everyday lives. If your website isn’t mobile friendly, you’re going to alienate a lot of people and lose customers.