⚡ Get All Content for 20% Off ⚡

No Mobile Website? You're Probably Turning Customers Away Three tips for making your website smartphone-friendly.

By Jason Fell

entrepreneur daily

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

No Mobile Website Youre Probably Turning Customers Away

If you still don't have a mobile-friendly version of your website you're most likely turning away potential customers without knowing it.

Consider the numbers: Nearly half of all U.S. adults use a smartphone, according to recent findings by the Pew Internet and American Life Project. Ninety percent of those smartphone owners say they use the device to check email and surf the web. That's not counting people who use other mobile devices, such as tablets, to access the web.

With mobile internet traffic on the rise, you might think small businesses are developing mobile-friendly websites. But you'd be wrong. Only 26 percent of small businesses have a mobile website. That's a growing problem -- especially for local businesses.

Related: Three Steps to Creating a Killer Mobile Site

Take, for example, a recent excursion I had with a friend in New York City's Upper West Side. We were on the move, smartphones in hand, looking for a particular restaurant -- which will remain nameless -- to grab a bite to eat. I used my Motorola Droid Razr to look up the restaurant's website but all I saw was a white screen with two links to download PDF files of the lunch and dinner menus.

No contact information. No hours. No easy-to-read menu. Sorry, no business from me.

With more people using their mobile devices to access information about companies, business owners need to think about how their website displays on smartphones and tablets. If content isn't easy to read and access on a smaller screen, customers might go to the next shop down the block instead.

When developing a mobile-friendly website, or a dedicated mobile site, here are some important things to keep in mind:

1. Display your company's most important information at the top in plain text. This includes your name, address, contact information and perhaps a brief description of what you do.

2. Don't include Flash-based videos on your mobile site. Many devices don't support Flash. Plus, video eats up data and can take a long time to load.

3. Make information easy to read on a small screen. Don't complicate navigation across several pages, and don't make users download PDFs. The more straightforward, the better.

Related: 5 Things to Consider Before Buying a Smartphone or Tablet for Business

What tips do you have for creating a mobile-friendly website? Share them in the comments below.

Jason Fell

VP, Native Content

Jason Fell is the VP of Native Content, managing the Entrepreneur Partner Studio, which creates dynamic and compelling content for our partners. He previously served as Entrepreneur.com's managing editor and as the technology editor prior to that.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

The Remote Side Hustle a 43-Year-Old Musician Works on for 1 Hour a Day Earns Nearly $3,000 a Month: 'All From the Comfort of Home'

Sam Ziegler wanted to supplement his income as a professional drummer — then his tech skills and desire to help people came together.

Business News

Costco CFO Reveals Uncertain Fate of $1.50 Hot Dog and Soda Combo

CFO Richard Galanti reveals that the price will stay the same — but only "for a while."

Business News

The Most Unexpectedly Popular Side Hustle of the Decade Has Low Startup Costs and High Markups

A new report shows that vending machines are a popular investment — and the industry is set to grow up to $3 billion by 2031.

Marketing

Ever Wonder Why Certain Websites Rank Higher Than Yours? This SEO Expert Reveals The Secret to Dominating Search Results

It's often the smart use of SEO, now supercharged with AI, particularly in keyword optimization.

Business News

AI Is Impacting Jobs. Here Are the Gigs Affected the Most, According to an Analysis of 5 Million Upwork Postings

The researcher said in the report that freelance jobs were analyzed first because that market will likely see AI's immediate impact.

Leadership

Former Interrogator Shares 5 Behaviors Liars Exhibit and How to Handle Them

Five deceptive behaviors to look for and how to respond to those behaviors when you encounter them.