Member Article

The importance of adapting and moving with mobile

The use of the web via mobiles, smart phones and tablets is constantly increasing and with that, so is the need for ‘mobile friendly’ websites and services. In a lot of cases, a mobile friendly site is now viewed as necessity, rather than a demand. However, some of the larger ecommerce sites have yet to get to grips with the movement.

Huffington Post notes that 2015 will see a shift to a “mobile-first” mentality, whereby being “mobile-friendly” is no longer enough. Ecommerce businesses must think about how to make content and distribute across various platforms, bearing in mind that the majority of followers are likely to be accessing web pages via mobile. Optimising the functionality of links, landing pages, transaction pages and data input etc. are paramount to mobile marketing success.

Smart Insights confirms that 2015 shall see the number of million global users in mobile confidently surpass fixed internet access. So what does this mean for mobile marketing and business? From marketing to operations and sales to logistics, CRM and customer service – so many opportunities arise from adapting a business to mobile. Interestingly, it is projected that half of global hotel bookings will be made via mobile by 2017, hence the need for businesses to move with this demand. After all, customer interaction begins with search and analysis, leading to the booking process; it’s imperative that these elements are succinct.

In addition to the uptake in the use of mobile technology, the movement toward a 24/7 connectivity culture in technology in general spells out an even more prosperous future for business and mobile marketing. It’s widely accepted that Scotland’s capital city is at the forefront of Wi-Fi technology, having been credited as one of the top cities in the world for technology1. Edinburgh looks forward with its plans to implement free Wi-Fi for everyone in the city centre by this summer, with over a thousand hotspots included in the overall plan. A free Wi-Fi system is already available on the city’s trams and buses.

In the hospitality industry, the development of new booking screens to synchronise with the mobile site is becoming essential. Following on from a complete rebuild of their website in a responsive format Reserve Apartments, an Edinburgh based company, saw mobile/tablet traffic increase by 55% within the space of a year. However, the associated rise in bookings were not instantly apparent, seemingly due to the lead-time from a potential guest carrying out research, to then booking. As the bookings gradually increased, it was clear to see that mobile was vital at a very early stage within the booking process, research and inspiration.

It’s becoming clear that, as tablets replace PCs and as mobile phones become more powerful, people utilise these devices for more than just research. Statistics show that a growing number of users are finding inspiration, researching, interacting, and making bookings, all via mobile devices. Hence, the irreversible shift in the mobile market is one well worth moving with and investing in. Interestingly, there may not be as many companies on board with this as we think…well-known SEO and Search Engine Land editor, Barry Schwartz recently said “I bet it is more like 80% of the web pages on the internet are not mobile friendly.2”

Surely, it’s time more businesses woke up?

1 http://www.cntraveler.com/stories/2014-10-03/10-cities-with-free-wifi

2 https://www.seroundtable.com/google-mobile-responsive-poll-19692.html

Notes:

Reserve Apartments is an Edinburgh-based holiday and corporate apartment service, providing short term lettings and self-catering solutions in Edinburgh and Glasgow. With online availability and pricing information, it’s possible to book our wide range of apartments instantly via the Reserve Apartments website. Reserve Apartments has recently been shortlisted in the 2014 British Travel Awards for the Best Small UK Holiday Cottage/Self Catering Booking Company.

www.reserveapartments.co.uk

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This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Reserve Apartments .