Do you have a mobile device? It goes without saying that mobile devices are widely used. More and more people are opting to buy mobile phones and tablets rather than buying desktop and laptop computers. That will explain why there has been a reduction in the sales of the traditional “computer” in recent years. The great demise of Dell and HP computers from their prominent positions are great examples of how technological advancements can alter major corporations. Therefore, if you are a business, school or any type of organization that is looking to engage your customers or audience, you need a mobile website. At the very least, you would need to provide an option for users to choose how they want to view your site. Here are some of the best ways you can improve your website’s visibility across various screens.
1) Modify Your Website
The new catch phrase now-a-days is not “there is an app for that”. Instead, that phrase has been replaced by a single word, “responsive”. Where the internet goes businesses and thinkers will follow. There has been an explosion of different ways to modify the styling of websites to accommodate mobile devices and different screen sizes. However, the major drawback is that you will need to know or learn web design, which renders it useless for many people who just want to point and click.
2) Select/Use Responsive Themes
If you are running a WordPress powered website, try your best to select or switch to a mobile responsive theme. This switch will save you a lot of headaches. Market leaders such as Studiopress, Thesis and Templatic offer themes that have the ability to automatically detect the devices the users are using and will automatically structure your site’s content so that the user can easily view your site. Based on current trends, more and more theme developers are creating responsive or adaptive themes.
3) Use Mobile Detector Plugins
Another option for you as a webmaster is just to follow what market leaders are doing. Website owners can redirect users to a domain where the mobile friendly website content of your website is located. For example, high trafficked websites such as the Huffingtonpost will redirect you to m.huffpost.com when you are on your mobile device. However, if you try to access that same URL on your desktop computer it will redirect you to their more popular URL (Huffingtonpost.com). If your website is powered by WordPress, for example, you could use a plugin to redirect mobile users to a subdomain or any URL you wish. Alternatively, you may use a tool such as WPtouch to easily get a mobile theme for your WordPress powered website for free.
4) Use Mobile View Generator Sites
Below I have compiled the best applications out there that will allow you to convert your current website to a mobile friendly one in a click or two.
DudaMobile
With Dudamobile’s service you simply insert your current desktop compatible website into this website, and the magic happens right before your eyes. A mobile compatible version of your website will be deployed with a single click. Also, you will be presented with options to fine-tune the look and feel that you think best represents what you would like your visitors to see.
bMobilized
bMobilized will create a mobile version of your website in minutes by utilizing the content that you already have on your website. They are offering a 7 day free trial for you to test out the service.
Mobify
Mobify is a great way to get a mobile version of your website going. They are allowing 10, 000 mobile views per month for free. This will provide you with limited features while you test out their service offerings.
Honorable Mention
QRMobile: Great way to create a simple mobile website for your school, classroom, business, or for yourself. The service is totally free, however, if you want to remove the QRMobile’s branding you will be required to pay a one-time fee of $5.00 to have it removed.
Conclusion
There are great alternatives out there to create a mobile version of your website if you do not have a traditional mobile application. If you know of a great service that can be used to easily create a mobile version of a website, please feel free to leave it in the comments section below.