The mobile Internet is becoming increasingly crucial to the future of designing websites, as well as developing apps and other software solutions that can help businesses to reach consumers in the most efficient way possible. With more and more people relying on their smartphones or tablets to go online, developers and companies face the challenge of making this experience as smooth as possible.
Infrastructure
The future of the mobile Internet will be driven by the need to handle high volumes of traffic, and speeds that can incorporate fast downloads and streaming. In the UK, deals finally seem to be approaching for a 4G mobile network that can handle 20Mb per second download speeds. T Mobile and Orange partnership Everything Everywhere is targeting a September scale out of 4G after receiving a green light from Ofcom, while Samsung has won a deal to provide LTE network stations for mobile provider Three. In this context, getting mobile sites and apps ready for 2013 to 2014 will be crucial as companies respond to increased Internet usage on phones and tablets.
Adapting Browsing
A key part of future mobile Internet use will be the expectation that websites will be optimized, and that browsing and downloading, as well as online payments, can run as smoothly as those on a desktop. Google have recently been promoting its GoMo service, which suggests that more people will be using mobile phones than PCs to browse the Internet by 2013. The campaign also argues that expectations will rise for sites to be fast loading and optimized for phone screens, as well as being able to link up with Sat Navs.
Building Blocks
In terms of building the future for mobile Internet, companies and designers will have to create and adapt sites to work well on phones, if they haven’t already. This generally means having to simplify text and images, while creating high contrast layouts, and easy navigation for a touchscreen. Negative space, and difficult, or slow loading designs, will likely lead to users losing faith in a site, and finding a better performing alternative.
Apps or Sites?
It’s also important to emphasize that, while popular, apps are not the future of mobile Internet. According to the GoMo campaign, most future mobile users will still use sites, and will depend on brand names, and trust in using familiar brand names for online payments. In this context, the transition and building process for new sites will involve optimization, rather than a complete rethink as mobile apps.
Digital Strategy
All companies should consequently be aware of the need to ensure that their site is optimized for mobile use, while also using apps as a way of adding value to their brand proposition. For sites that don’t keep up with the speed of 4G, and the number of users that rely on their phones for access, the danger becomes losing authority as a brand choice. Setting up plans to optimise sites, and seeking advice on how best to use Search Engine Optimization and other analytic tools to measure how many people are clicking through mobile sites and adverts will also be crucial to participating in the future of mobile Internet.
Rob James is an online marketer who highly recommends Boxmodeldigital website development agency. Rob can be found blogging about a variety of technology related subjects, including mobile phones, to SEO techniques.
