The good news is if your business has a website, it can be accessed by almost any mobile device with an internet browser. The even better news is nine out of 10 South African Internet users access the Internet via their smartphone in search of services or products.
A report compiled by venture capital firm, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB), showed that in 2013, South Africa’s smartphone users were at 20 million and an estimated 14 million users were on the internet.
The bad news however is, chances are, unless your website has been properly adjusted for mobile view, your website on a mobile device may look messy, unreadable and have limited functionality (e.g access to Adobe Flash and slideshows).
The bottom line is if your business does not have a mobile website, you may miss out on business opportunities.
7 reasons: the highlights
The infographic below titled ‘7 reasons why small business owners need mobile websites now’ details the biggest reasons why mobile websites are non-negotiable for small businesses.
Perhaps the infographic’s most revealing fact, is that mobile users are your highest qualified customers because they want your product/service right now; and worryingly, that frustrated users will turn to your competition if they feel they aren’t getting anywhere on your site.
It’s also interesting to see that 1 out of 3 people searching for local businesses on Google are using mobile devices, 65% of them may call the business and 59% may even visit.
Here are some other interesting reasons you should be paying attention to: