People seem to be on their cell phones all the time. They're texting they're kids or friends while walking down the street, checking out the score of a game while at dinner and looking up the name of a movie on IMDB. A responsive design website matches the screen size of the device a visitor is using.

While cell phones are still occasionally used for talking (that's a joke folk's), they have yet to change the name from "phone".  Every day, more people are using their mobile phones to research pricing, look up a service and review a recent purchase. According to Google, more than 85 percent of phones can now access the Internet and in 2013 people who use their phones to go online surpassed those that use a personal computer at home.

Despite the rapid increase in mobile Internet use, many architects, builders, and interior designers still do not have a website that's designed for mobile devices. It's time to rectify the problem with a responsive design website that allows your content to be viewed on any size phone or tablet.  Let's disregard the ramifications of trying to view a portfolio on a mobile device, and look at basic communication problems. Without a mobile enabled or responsive design website, trying to read an address or phone number is exceptionally difficult. Aggravating a client or prospect who is trying to reach you is an awful way to do business and frankly, is just bad manners. As native internet users (40 years old and less) look to secure built environment professionals, they will expect an online experience that takes into consideration how they conduct research online. Neglect mobile and they will click off your site in a fraction of a second and curse your Luddite ways as they click onto the website of your competition. 

According to Google, one in three mobile searches has a local intent. These searches include comparison searching to find service providers in their area.  A 2012 Pew Research Center study (In Internet terms, that's the Bronze Age) showed that mobile website browsers are typically under 50, well-educated and earn a higher than average annual income. These same users also told Pew that websites can be difficult to open and hard to use. Another study, this one by Google shows that 67% said a mobile-friendly site makes them more likely to buy a product or use a service from that company.
55 percent said a bad mobile experience hurts their opinion of the brand.
61 percent said if they don’t see what they are looking for right away on a mobile site, they quickly move on.

Conversion platforms, like DudaMobile, can help a company integrate a mobile site into its existing website. We have used DudaMobile in the past to help clients make the jump to mobile, but this method is no longer a best practice. Creating a new, responsive design website is the best way to improve your website's user experience to mobile devices like phones and tablets. DudaMobile offers advanced features for designing and maintaining a mobile site, but this requires you to maintain two separate but similar websites. A standard website and a mobile website. 

Once you’ve launched your mobile site, continue to monitor it. Look at how people are using it and adjust the design or top items to address this usage. Just as your website has its role in your marketing plan, so should your mobile site. Is it performing at the level you expected? Why not and what can change? Companies like DudaMobile offer site analytics so you can easily see what customers are clicking. If customers are telling you they had trouble finding information about a product or service, make adjustments.

Whether out at a bar or riding in the car, people today reach for their phone the instant an idea pops into their head. They are looking up where they can buy a new condominium or how much a sofa might cost. They are searching the Internet for good deals, who is offering them and how they can get to that store. By optimizing your site for mobile, you increase your company’s chances of being the site that loads quickly, keeps the customer engaged longer and becomes a resource for their buying decision.

About Michael Conway

I'm the owner and strategist at Means-of-Production. My firm builds Squarespace websites, Houzz profiles, and content marketing and advertising solutions for architects, interior designers, design-build contractors and landscape design firms. Our all-in-one marketing tactics attract the right clients with exceptional architectural photography and brand messaging that sets you apart from the competition.